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30
Many school children returned to Acton between September
and December. 2,924 school children were evacuated in Elementary
School units, but on the rolls when schools closed for Christmas
holidays there were found to be only 2,214 children away. 710
children had, therefore, come back to Acton, or at any rate had
left their evacuation schools. Of these 710 approximately 200 were
children who had reached the age of 14 and had returned to look
for work. The great majority of mothers with children under 5 who
had evacuated had also returned home, but there are no means
available at present to give actual numbers. Schools in Acton
remained closed until November 15th when classes were begun in
all schools for children between the ages of 7 and 14. Classes were
also held in St. Gabriel's Church Hall in North Acton. As many
children as there was air raid shelter for, were accommodated.
Minor Ailment Clinics were opened three times a week and
schools were notified that children attending school or their brothers
and sisters of legal school age, but not at school, would be examined
and treated if necessary.
Attempts were made to establish as soon as possible the
normal medical, nursing and dental supervision of the children.
Cases requiring free milk were seen and recommended and provision
of milk at schools was early established. It was not found
possible to set up feeding centres, but arrangements for dealing
with the question are under consideration.
From the outbreak of war, dental attention was given to the
children left in Acton. Children known to be left in the area were
examined and treated at the Clinic. After the opening of schools,
regular inspection sessions were held as pre-war.
Cleanliness inspections were made regularly by the school
nurses and treatment advised and carried out.
Several cases were brought to our notice of children being
fetched home from evacuation areas because their parents found on
visiting them that they had contracted Scabies. As pointed out in
previous Annual Reports, there appears to be a wide-spread outbreak
of Scabies all over the country and such cases were bound
to crop up. In Acton at the Minor Aiiment clinics since the outbreak
of war, the majority of children seen have been cases of Scabies,
of suspected Scabies, of-children who have been in contact with a
case of Scabies or of Impetigo superimposed on Scabies.