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In addition, in order that juveniles attending junior instruction centres could
when so certified, be able to obtain milk as medical treatment, a weekly visit of one
of the Council's medical officers to these centres was made, and this was continued
until the closure of the centres in May, 1937, owing to the substantial reduction
in juvenile unemployment.
During the year, at the twelve day continuation schools, 746 pupils submitted
themselves to medical inspection out of 5,138 eligible ; 21 pupils were found
subnormal in nutrition, in 1 pediculi were found, 583 had sound teeth, 174 had subnormal
vision (121 were wearing glasses), and 158 various defects were found, including
: nose and throat ailments, 16 ; circulatory troubles, 25 ; flat foot, 18 ; and
postural deformities, 27. In all, 207 were advised to obtain treatment.
At two selected evening institutes, 97 pupils desired medical inspection. Of
these, 11 were subnormal in nutrition, in 2 pediculi were present, 60 had sound teeth,
26 had subnormal vision (3 were wearing spectacles), and 50 were found to be needing
observation or treatment for various other ailments, including: nose and throat
disease, 16 ; enlarged glands, 5 ; ear disease, 2 ; defective hearing, 1 ; defective
speech, 1 ; eye disease, 4 ; defects of heart and circulation, 4 ; ana;mia and debility,
3 ; defects of lungs, 2 ; spinal deformities, 2 ; flat foot, 3 ; other defects, 7. In all,
21 were referred for treatment.
At junior instruction centres, prior to their closure in May, 1937, 44 juveniles
were examined by the doctors. Of this number, 13 were subnormal in nutrition,
none was verminous, 23 had carious teeth, 34 failed to pass the vision test (8 were
wearing glasses), and 32 other defects were discovered.
Medical treatment at the school treatment centres was available for juveniles
under 16 years or those who, being over 16 years of age, were not entitled to medical
benefit under the National Health Insurance scheme.
Medical inspection at secondary and trade schools
In the maintained secondary and trade schools mcdical inspection has been
carried out by the school medical staff over a very long period of years.
The pupils are, in accordance with the instructions of the Board of Education,
inspected in detail on entrance, again at the age of 12, and at the age of 15 ; in all
other years the records of all pupils are reviewed, but a detailed examination is
only carried out when there is some special indication or request.
So far as the aided schools are concerned, medical inspection of all the pupils
by members of the Council's medical staff is carried out at 23 schools. At 22
other aided schools these inspections are conducted by doctors appointed by the
respective governors-. The holders of Council's scholarships at 8 aided schools are
seen by the Council's staff at County Hall, the governors' doctors in those schools
confining themselves in the main to fee-payers, trust-fund scholars, etc.
In one non-aided school, the medical inspection of pupils is carried out by one
of the Council's medical officers at the request of the governors.
The figures subsequently analysed are derived only from the schools where the
medical inspections are carried out by the Council's own staff. No detailed reports
of medical inspections are received from those aided schools at which the pupils are
examined by the doctor appointed by the governors, but the record cards of all the
Council's scholarship children examined are sent for the school medical officer's
information at the end of each term.
Excluding students in training colleges, 15,788 pupils were examined during the
year by the Council's medical officers. Details of the distribution of these students
in the various institutions are given in the appendix (table VII). In addition to
the above, the records of 3,292 pupils not in the age groups were reviewed, but
detailed examinations were not deemed necessary. As might be expected, the
children in the secondary schools show a general superiority in freedom from physical
defect over children in the elementary schools. In no instance was the clothing
found to be poor, but in 2 cases (both boys) infestation with vermin was noted.