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There have been made by interested social workers many enquiries concerning
the suitability of particular sites and buildings for voluntary nursery school purposes
and two applications for aid have been received from the managers of additional
nursery schools already organised, one of which has been favourably received.
Milk Meals.
The total number of samples of milk analysed was 1,462. Of these 58
than 4 per cent.) were unsatisfactory, 10 containing added water and 48 showing a
deficiency of fat. The maximum addition of water in any one sample was about
40 per cent., whilst in one case the abstraction of fat amounted to 54 per cent. The
improvement in the general quality of the supplies which has been noted for some
years past has been maintained.
Of the meals supplied to the children at various centres, 11 samples were
examined in the Council's central laboratory, and, except in one instance, were found
to be satisfactory.
(less Supervision
of dietaries.
Infectious Diseases (Schools).
In a vast town like London, comprising as it does the City and 28 metropolitan
boroughs, each possessing the statutory power of dealing with infectious illness
within its own area, the task of co-ordinating the functions of the school medical
service and of the local health services, of co-operating with 29 local medical officers,
with school attendance staff, children's care committees, play centre organisations,
hospitals and clinics, as well as with numerous other associations, committees or
bodies interested in the child, either from the point of view of school attendance
or home environment, is one to which the utmost resource, tact and experience must
be brought to bear. It can be safely asserted, however, that the inherent difficulties
of so complicated a machine have been overcome very largely by the establishment
of harmonious relationships between the different authorities concerned, by the
evolution of principles and rules with regard to the control of infectious illness among
school children and by their application as the ripe fruit of knowledge of the methods
by which infection is disseminated. Although much ground has been covered,
there is still much to be learnt. To mention one field only it is as difficult even now
to persuade many individuals as it was difficult to convince certain public health
authorities a decade or so ago, of the futility of expecting school closure to prevent
the spread of infectious illnesses in large urban communities like London, especially
under modern conditions which provide so many opportunities outside the school
for the spread of infection. In fact, it is only through inquiries to ascertain the
reasons for the absence of children from school that the existence of the bulk of the
cases of non-notifiable diseases are brought to light, whilst the medical and nursing
observation which is now so closely maintained through the school medical service
over children attending public elementary schools, reveals a large number of cases
not only of non-notifiable diseases, but of missed cases of notifiable diseases such as
scarlet fever and diphtheria. Local outbreaks of infectious disease, affecting children
of school age, necessarily affect the schools attended by such children and, therefore,
the congregation of children in school supplies the principal aid to investigation. To
close the school would be to disperse the sources of supply of information and to lose
the opportunity of medical supervision and inquiry. Again, the usefulness of the
school organisation has been revealed in the opportunity it affords for propaganda.
During the recent measles epidemic, borough medical officers of health were permitted
to distribute measles advice leaflets, after they had been approved by the Council,
throughout the schools, and there is little doubt that the timely warnings and counsel
contained in these leaflets were of great value. The co-operation of school teachers
and officials was also of very great service to the local health authorities in
Introduction.