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85
In consequence of the consideration, in April, 1937, by the General Purposes
Sub-Committee of the Education Committee of resolutions submitted by the Central
Consultative Committee of Head Mistresses of Girls' schools, the school medical
officer was requested to arrange for the re-examination of all children taking part
in entertainments under licence for continual periods of not less than four weeks
immediately on the completion of their engagements.
During the last eight months of 1937 this was carried out. There are now medical
histories of 162 children who have been medically examined under this requirement,
150 of whom are girls and 12 boys.
The girls fall into two groups : a group numbering 102 engaged in Christmas
pantomimes and shows under conditions which were fairly uniform; and a miscellaneous
group of 48 girls seen during a period spread over the year who had been
employed for varying times and under variable conditions.
Girls in the first group had been employed for a period of about five weeks. Of the
102 girls 91, immediately at the end of their engagements, were in perfect health, with
improved physical fitness and presenting no signs of fatigue. They averaged about
thirteen years of age, and at their original examination for licence their average
weight was 5 stone 9 lb. The average period between examination and re-examination
at the end of their engagements was seven weeks, and during that time they had
increased in weight on an average just over three pounds. The average weight of
London elementary school children at the age of thirteen is 5 stone 8 lb., and the
normal rate of increase in weight at this age is 1 -2 lb. in seven weeks.
The condition of eleven of the girls at re-inspection called for special scrutiny
owing to signs of fatigue, loss of weight, or disturbance of health. The analysis of
these eleven cases suggests that in three there was a loss of weight in children who
were previously over-weight and who did not suffer in any way in health ; in
three children there was fatigue or loss of weight connected with intercurrent ailments
that were contracted during employment; in three children there was fatigue due
to the employment combined with constitutional defect of heart, and in two there
was fatigue or physical deterioration for which no other cause was apparent except
the strain of employment.
In the three children with functional disorder of the heart who showed signs of
fatigue on re-examination, the condition of the heart was noted at the original
examination. It may be asked, perhaps, why in their cases a certificate of fitness
was issued. The reply is that, while every child who was ascertained to have organic
disease was rejected, the condition of these children was very carefully considered
and only after obtaining a second opinion were they passed. In each case there had to
be balanced against possible injury the psychological effect of rejection. The children
love the work so greatly that the possibility of rejection arouses intense emotional
disturbance which can easily have such a serious effect on them that it would outweigh
the risk of injury due to employment.
The second group of girls, numbering 48, were re-examined at the conclusion
of their engagements, which in general were longer than those of the girls in the group
already considered. Of the 48 children, 44 were found on re-examination to be in excellent
physical condition, showing no signs of fatigue and to have made good physical
progress. The condition of four girls was, however, unsatisfactory. In one of these,
although the appearance of the child on the stage was for only 15 minutes
nightly, there had been continuous employment for a long period and there was
evidence of strain combined with failure to make normal progress.
Of the twelve boys, all but one at re-inspection were found with improved
physique and in perfect health with no signs of fatigue. The one boy whose condition
was not so good on re-inspection had lost two pounds in weight between May and
July, 1937. He had been employed for about a year, appearing twice at the theatre
each evening for 10 minutes on each occasion.