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I would like once again to draw attention to the harmonious relationships
between the officers of the school medical service, the school attendance staff and
the borough health services in connection with the measures adopted to prevent
the spread of smallpox in the schools.
Experience of the prevailing type of mild smallpox has again shown the difficulties
arising from the numbers of missed cases, and efforts have been directed,
especially in areas where the disease persists, to ascertaining the reasons for absence
from school at the earliest possible moment. As a result of intensive investigation
and close co-ordination between the officers concerned, many previously undetected
cases have been brought, to liffht.
There has been a decrease in the number of cases of whooping-cough reported
from the schools in 1932 as compared with 1931. The school nurses visited 45 schools
where whooping-cough was prevalent for the purpose of keeping the children under
observation and advising the head teachers as to exclusion or re-admission of children
to school.
Whoopingcough.
The number of cases of chickenpox reported from the schools (11,440) is the
lowest recorded since 1922. The school nurses visited 127 schools for the purpose
of keeping the children under special supervision.
Chickenpox.
There was an increase in the number of cases of mumps m 1932 as compared
with 1931. This number (8,016) is, however, below the average for the preceding
ten vears (9.725).
Mumps.
A reference to the action taken in connection with the ascertainment and
treatment of cases of scabies armears elsewhere in this renort.
Scabies.
(a) Acute ophthalmia outbreaks occurred in two separate areas during 1932,
affecting 3 schools in North Lambeth and 1 in Hackney. The children in these schools
were kept under supervision by the school medical and school nursing staffs, working
in close co-operation with the borough health services. Special preventive measures
were taken and, as a result, infection was restricted to the four schools. In this
connection, attention was given particularly to the use of towels and handkerchiefs.
Ophthalmia.
(b) There were two outbreaks of trachoma among school children during 1932.
This eye affection which was once so very prevalent in London, especially in poorlaw
schools, is now almost stamped out. The first outbreak concerned a school in
Walworth and occurred in February. One of the boys was found to be suffering
from this disease and was removed to the Council's ophthalmia hospital (White Oak
hospital). As a precautionary measure, all the other children in the school were
medically examined, and, as a result, three non-active cases of trachoma were
detected. Of these, two were also removed to White Oak hospital, but in the third
case the parent preferred to take the child elsewhere for treatment. The children
at the school were kept under daily supervision by the school nurse and a special
arrangement was made for following up the school absentees by co-operation with
the borough health services. No further cases occurred and in due course the special
visitation of the school was discontinued.