View report page

147
Park (M.D.) School (Girls) five cases of scarlet fever and three cases of diphtheria
were reported ; the children were all swabbed on two occasions in connection with
the occurrence of diphtheria but no "carriers" were discovered. In view of the
prevalence of the disease in the locality, the cases were no doubt imported. An
outbreak of influenza, comprising 27 cases, occurred at Portslade Industrial School
between the 13th and 24th January, and all the twenty-seven boys attacked recovered
within a week of the onset of illness.
The Treatment of Crippled Children*
The Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education
(1926), page 25—contains a statement to the effect that London is an area without
an orthoptedic scheme. Moreover, it is clear that the Chief Medical Officer is of the
opinion that, for this reason, London children are at a disadvantage compared with
certain other areas.
It is, of course, true that the Council has not promulgated what might be called
an orthopaedic scheme, in the sense in which these words could be correctly applied
to the Council's Tuberculosis or Venereal Disease schemes ; but, on the other hand,
it would be grossly wrong, and indeed, unjust, to suggest that, because there is no
formal scheme, therefore the Council has neglected its duty to the crippled children
of London. The truth is that, for many years past, the Council, through the
Education and Public Health Committees, has given careful and continuous study to
the provision of adequate measures for the prevention and treatment of all those
conditions which lead to the crippling of children. In this connection, it should
always be borne in mind that the various disorders which give rise to crippling may,
and in fact frequently do, arise before the commencement of school life, and from
this it follows that any adequate measures taken to prevent, limit, or cure crippling,
must extend downwards into the pre-school age, and upwards throughout the
period of adolescence.
It must also be remembered that, although the Council is the Education
Authority for London, yet it is not the Local Authority under the Maternity and
Child Welfare Act. Despite this obvious disadvantage, the fact remains that the
Council has always endeavoured to explore the whole area of crippledom, regardless
of age limits, and has gradually promoted suitable arrangements to provide for any
deficiency wherever it is found to exist.
Sir George Newman in his Annual Report for 1926 discusses at some length the
conditions which should be observed in any orthopaedic scheme. They are as
follows:—
(1) The ascertainment of the number of cripples in each area, the cause,
and the nature of their defects.
(2) The provision of remedial facilities.
(3) Arrangements for following up, re-education and after-care.
(4) The prevention of crippling.
These conditions are met in London in the following manner:—
(1) In the London School Medical Service it is the routine practice for every
child in attendance at school to be thoroughly examined by competent school
doctors, some of whom hold important appointments as members of the Medical
and Surgical staff of the principal voluntary hospitals. If crippling conditions of
any kind appear to be present, such children are at once referred for further specialist
investigation and treatment. Moreover, all children out of school for more than a
very brief period are periodically reviewed. For this purpose, medical reports are
obtained as to the reasons for absence, and, where necessary, special medical
examinations are made, in order to ensure that they are receiving proper medical
supervision and care. Not only does this procedure apply to children of school
age but, in addition, the school attendance officers are instructed by the Education
* See Appendix, p. 176.