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The following report by Dr. M. W. Geffen on an open-air class, type B, at the
Wandle (infants') school, may be taken as an example:—
This class was visited early in March, on 6th July and on 28th September. The number of
children in the class on 28th September, 1937, was 22. Of these 18 were examined, 4 being
absent. The average period of attendance was six months. All the children had increased in
height, the average increase being 2.69 em. Fifteen had increased in weight, the average increase
being 1.3 kg.; in one there was no change; while 2 showed a slight decrease in weight (.2 kg.).
Improved nutrition was shown in 14 children. About half the children seen showed improved
colour, and several were mentally much more alert. Of tho four whose nutrition had not improved,
three had recently had whooping-eough. In two instances the improvement was so
marked that no trace of debility remained in children who were formerly emaciated and sickly,
and they exceeded the normal standard.
Convalescence
In addition to the provision for children at residential open-air schools, there is
now a large provision for convalescence in institutions of the Council's special
hospitals service.

Except at the Lower Southern hospital, education is provided for the convalescent
children, and the institutions are recognised by the Board of Education as
hospital schools.
Lower Southern hospital is primarily an infectious diseases hospital, and the
continuance of convalescent arrangements here cannot be counted upon all the
year round.
The opening-out of this provision for convalescence has indeed been a boon to
London children, and it has greatly mitigated the sense of frustration which afflicted
social workers and officers alike when faced with the long delays and checks, which
formerly so frequently occurred and so hampered the work of children's care.
In addition to the provision detailed above, the Council has agreed to pay grants
to the Invalid Children's Aid Association on account of certain children convalesced
by the Association, and in 1937 grants in respect of a maximum period of eight
weeks' convalescence were authorised for each of 1,110 children.
School journeys
The teachers in many schools voluntarily organise arrangements by which
children are taken during term time to hostels and camps in the country or by the
seaside for periods generally of two or three weeks. The Council has directed that
the school medical service shall assist so far as is possible with this excellent work.
In 1937, 390 school journeys were arranged. The children taking part were
medically examined in all cases before departure. In all, 13,102 children were examined,
and of these 65 were excluded as unfit to take part in the journeys for the following
reasons: heart disease, 2; tonsillitis, 12; otorrhœa, 9 ; conjunctivitis, 6;