London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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113
The School Health Service and Handicapped Pupils Regulations, 1953, made certain
changes in the definitions of the different categories of handicapped pupils. Notably
there is no longer a separate category of 'diabetic' pupils, who are now included in
the general category of 'delicate' pupils. This is a residual category covering all handicapped
pupils who do not specifically come under the heading of one of the other
handicaps, and the new definition takes account of the fact that some delicate pupils
(e.g., asthmatics and diabetics) can be educated under the normal regime of an ordinary
school, but may need a change of environment to make this possible. Diabetics, however
can present special problems and they are not normally placed in open air special
schools for delicate children. (See p. 120.)
In addition, it is no longer necessary to get a determination from the Minister before
a physically handicapped, epileptic or aphasic pupil can be educated otherwise than in
a special school, or before a blind or epileptic pupil can be educated otherwise than in
a boarding school.
educational treatment should be provided, or whether it could be discontinued. The number of examinations in each category was as follows:
| Category | Pupils not in special school | Pupils already in special school |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | 187 | 51 |
| Hearing | 163 | 84 |
| Educationally sub-normal | 1,832 | 431 |
| Epileptic | 28 | 5 |
| Physically handicapped | 400 | 165 |
| Speech defect | 648 | 146 |
| Delicate | 1,220 | 459 |
In addition 372 children were considered for special educational treatment as
maladjusted pupils and three as diabetic.
The recommendations in respect of the 4,478 pupils not already in special schools were as follows:
| Special School for the: | Vision | Hearing | E.S.N. | Maladjusted | Epilepsy | Physically handicapped | Delicate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blind | B | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| G | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Partially sighted | B | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| G | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Deaf | B | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G | — | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Partially deaf | B | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| E.S.N.—day | B | — | — | 333 | — | 1(b) | — | — |
| G | — | — | 243 | — | 3(6) | — | — | |
| E.S.N.—boarding | B | — | — | 60 | — | — | — | — |
| G | — | — | 40 | — | — | — | — | |
| Maladjusted—boarding | B | — | — | — | 209 | — | — | — |
| G | — | — | — | 66 | — | — | — | |
| Epileptic—boarding | B | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — |
| G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |