View report page

103
As in former years many pupils were found to be verminous at more than one
inspection. The number of individual verminous children found during the year
was 22,159 (26,063 in 1949, 29,970 in 1948 and 37,978 in 1947).
The number of "advice" cards issued during the year compared with 1949 was
29,305 (32,422). The number of children who attended cleansing centres after the
issue of advice cards was 20,269 (22,032); the number of statutory notices served
was 4,759 (5,133); 1,405 (1,564) of the children concerned attended voluntarily and
2,567 (3,182) were cleansed compulsorily.
Of the 4,759 statutory notices served, 4,437 were issued under the powers
conferred by sec. 126 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, and 322 under sec. 54
of the Education Act, 1944. The former Act is used in respect of children of
compulsory school age as the procedure is more expeditious than that of the 1944
Act. The latter Act is only used in respect of pupils above compulsory school age.
Only 6 of 169,742 pupils inspected at routine medical examinations had body
vermin.
Vaccination
The upward trend in the proportion of pupils vaccinated against smallpox noted
in the past three years continued with a rise from 54.9 per cent. in 1949 to 56.5 per
cent. in 1950.
Diphtheria
immunisation
For diphtheria immunisation the percentages of pupils stated to have been immunised
followed closely those of 1949 ; the figure for 1950 was 85.9 per cent. compared
with 84.4 per cent. in 1949, 83.1 per cent. in 1948 and 82.7 per cent in 1947. The
former borough records were incomplete owing to children in older age groups having
been immunised whilst evacuees and because general practitioners had not until
recently notified the boroughs of all immunisations carried out by them. On the other
hand school records usually overstate the proportion immunised. Experience gained
in checking borough figures against the school figures and the analysis of the general
trend leads to the conclusion that the true figure is at least 77 per cent.
Dental
standard
The percentages of pupils in the different age groups (disregarding the nursery
group) found at routine medical inspections to have defective teeth are given below.
Whilst these figures are not as reliable an index as the more exacting inspections of
the school dental surgeons they may be used for comparative purposes :—

It will be seen that the downward trend of earlier years has been reversed. A
more detailed commentary will be found in the report of the Chief Dental Surgeon
(page 119).
The next table contains statistics of the standard of visual acuity of pupils whose Vision
sight was tested at routine inspections.