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'it has always been a question how far the Board is authorised to spend
public money on the medical care of children. On the one hand suggestions have
been made for the inspection of their teeth, and the treatment of cases of anaemic
condition and arrested development. On the other hand a legal opinion has been
expressed that the Board is not entitled to do anything, or to take any measures
except such as spring from the fact that the attendance of the children is compulsory.
On this account it has been thought right to take action only in those cases in which
on account of contagious disease, it is necessary to exclude children from school.'
The Board did, however, make provision for the teaching of handicapped children
about which more information is given later in this report.
In 1890, the Board appointed a medical officer to report on candidates for permanent
appointment and generally to advise the Board on any matters on which his special
knowledge might be useful and in 1898 two assistant medical officers were appointed to
examine defective children, each medical officer giving an equivalent of half-time to the
work. One of these medical officers was a woman who also had the duty of examining
female candidates for appointment by the Board. In 1901 it was decided to appoint
oculists to test the eyesight of the children in senior departments of schools of the Board
and, to counteract the severe incidence of chronic infections and parasitic disease, of which
ringworm alone kept thousands of children away from school for long periods, the
Board in October of that year, appointed the first school nurse, who was soon nicknamed
the 'ringworm nurse'.
In 1902, Dr. James Kerr, who was a Bradford ear and eye surgeon and who had
acted as adviser to the Bradford School Board, was appointed whole-time Medical
Officer to the Board. Two half-time assistants were appointed for work in connection
with the special schools, and, shortly afterwards, an additional half-time assistant was
appointed for a special measles enquiry projected by the Medical Officer. A laboratory
was provided and the oculists' duties were tacitly extended to include a great deal more
than mere vision testing; five additional nurses were appointed and systematic records
of all observations were kept. The field of work entered into by the medical department
was the investigation of all conditions affecting or tending to affect the health of those
working in the schools.
At that time, conditions were appalling—the vision of 60,000 children was so bad
that they could not see the blackboard; there were 20,000 cases of ringworm; and a
third of the girls had verminous heads.
The Medical Officer to the Board wrote in his report for the year 1903:
'The maintenance of sanitary conditions as regards heating, lighting, ventilation,
and cleanliness both of the buildings and persons of the pupils, the detection of early
cases of illness . . . ill-health from any causes . . . come under the daily work of
the teacher, and there is no requirement that any knowledge of such matters should
be possessed by him. It is left to his own common sense . . . '
In his report for the following year, the Medical Officer wrote:
'The provision of medical oversight for school life is rapidly becoming a
necessity.'
The following work was undertaken by the School Board in the year 1904:
A cleansing scheme for the schools was established.
A complete report was obtained on the visual condition of the children.
The method of bacteriological control of diphtheria was established.
The measles enquiry was extended.
All the children in the special schools were reviewed.
Enquiries were commenced to elucidate conditions of congenital aphasia.
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