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Seventeen samples for bacteriological examination have been taken by your officers
of these milks as delivered to the various schools in the City where the scheme is in operation.
In two cases these were found to exceed the bacterial count limit. Subsequent samples
were found to be satisfactory. At the same time, 12 samples were taken for chemical
analysis, and these proved to be genuine. I understand that the scheme has met with an
encouraging reception.
The scheme follows the good results of controlled experiments in schools, which indicate
that children on milk are better in health, brighter in mind and grow faster than comparable
children having no milk. It has also been shown that milk, if acting only as an additional
nutriment, has an advantage over other experimental nutriment, and one would expect
that the general effect of the scheme will be improvement in the well-being of those on whose
behalf the scheme has been introduced.
POST-GRADUATE NURSING COURSE.
With the approval of the Public Health Committee, the Tuberculosis Sister and Health
Visitor and the Assistant Health Visitor attended a special post-graduate course organised
by the College of Nursing during the early part of the summer. These courses are particularly
valuable to officers in the public health nursing service, as it enables them to keep in
touch with modern developments in their profession.
CHILDREN UNDER SCHOOL AGE.
In May, 1936, the Ministry of Health issued a circular letter to Maternity and Child
Welfare Authorities suggesting reconsideration of the arrangements made for the supervision
of the health of children not in attendance at school.
Although the Minister was convinced that, in general, these arrangements were satisfactory,
he was concerned that, in some areas, insufficient attention was given to the health
of children between 18 months and 5 years. It appeared that more than 16 per cent, of
the children entering schools are found to require treatment for some disease or defect.
It is clear that, in many cases, these conditions could have been prevented from developing,
or quickly cured, if adequate supervision of the health of the child had been exercised
throughout pre-school years.
The Public Health Committee carefully considered the arrangements made in connection
with their Child Welfare activities, and were of the opinion that the needs of City children
up to 5 years of age were well met by the arrangements already made for the supervision
of their health. In such a small area as the City, with two whole-time Health Visitors and
the advantage of the housing of the Infant Welfare Clinic in such a great hospital as St.
Bartholomew's, where the whole of the services of that Hospital are available to any child
or parent, the problem of supervision of the health of the children in question is a comparatively
simple one.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Seventy cases of infectious disease were notified or reported during the year 1936.
An examination is made of the sanitary condition of the premises where the cases
occurred and a summary of defects found by the District Inspector is given on page 60.
In consequence of the absence of small-pox in London, the obligation to notify chickenpox
ceased on the 18th day of March, 1936.
In the following tables will be found particulars relating to cases of infectious disease,
and information as to the removal of patients to hospitals.