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CHAPTER II.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE YEAR 1928.
By F. N. Kay Menzies, M.D., F.R.C.P. (Ed.), D.P.H., F.R.S.E., County Medical
Officer of Health and School Medical Officer.
Staff.
The Public Health Department of the Council is organised in five divisions of
work under the Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer. Of these
Division II. is wholly, and Divisions IV. and V. partly, concerned with school medical
work.
Division II. (Senior Medical Officer, Dr. C. J. Thomas) embraces the medical
inspection of school children in elementary, secondary and trade schools, the medical
and dental treatment and cleansing of school children, open-air schools, etc.
For purposes of routine medical inspection in schools, etc., London is divided
into five territorial areas :—
North West (Divisional Medical Officer, Dr. A. W. Sikes);
North East (Divisional Medical Officer, Dr. F. C. Lewis);
East (Divisional Medical Officer, Dr. G. Chaikin);
South East (Divisional Medical Officer, Dr. H. R. Kidner);
South West (Divisional Medical Officer, Dr. E. E. Argles).
The remaining staff in Division II. includes 1 principal assistant medical officer
for aural work (Dr. A. G. Wells), 4 part-time assistant aurists, 1 part-time consulting
dental surgeon (Dr. A. Livingston), 1 part-time principal assistant medical officer
(Dr. B. Tchaykovsky), 1 divisional medical officer for ophthalmic work, nursery
schools, etc. (Dr. E. M. McVail), 23 whole-time assistant medical officers, 11 assistant
medical officers giving 6 sessions a week, 44 assistant medical officers giving 3 sessions
a week ; additional temporary medical assistance for 115 sessions a week, 10 medical
officer (part-time), at open-air schools, etc., 264 surgeons and anaesthetists at treatment
centres, and 62 inspecting dentists (part-time).
The school nursing service comprises the superintendent of school nurses (Miss
H. L. Pearse), 6 assistant superintendents, 93 school nursing sisters and 260 school
nurses.
Division IV. (Senior Medical Officer, Dr. F. C. Shrubsall), in addition to work
under the Mental Deficiency Act and the Blind Persons Act, includes the medical
examination of scholarship candidates, school teachers, etc., reference cases, and
the medical work in special schools and reformatories. The staff allocated to this
division includes a part-time consulting surgeon for aural disease (Mr. P. M. Yearsley),
a part-time consulting surgeon for orthopaedics (Mr. K. J. Acton Davis), a part-time
ophthalmic consultant (Mr. N. Bishop Harman), and 2 divisional medical officers
(Drs. J. L. D. Fairfield and A. C. Williams).
Division V. (Senior Medical Officer, Dr. J. A. H. Brincker) deals with infectious
disease administration, bacteriology, diagnosis of smallpox, etc. In this division
is one principal assistant medical officer (Dr. J. G. Forbes) and one medical consultant
(Dr. W. McC. Wanklyn).
School Buildings.
The " 40 and
48 " scheme.
In accordance with the "40 and 48" scheme the Council is steadily improving
the hygienic condition of the school buildings. In addition to the erection of new
schools built in accordance with modern sanitary ideals, every year a quota of older
schools is brought under the scheme for re-modelling and re-organisation. At the
present time 88.8 per cent, of the classrooms are on the " 40 and 48 " basis as compared
with 57 per cent, in 1924.