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32
In March 1908, arrangements were made by the local
Education Committee to carry out the requirements of the Act.
and Dr. Lilian E. Wilson was appointed to devote her whole time
to the work of medical inspection. In accordance with the
suggestions contained in the memorandum of the Board of Education,
every endeavour was made in drawing up the scheme to link
up the medical inspection with the general public health of the
district. Dr. Wilson was also appointed Assistant Medical Officer
of Health, and the Medical Officer of Health was appointed School
Medical Officer, and in that capacity carried out the medical
inspection of the boys over 10 years of age.
The actual work of medical inspection commenced in April
1908, but at the start the work was practically limited to the routine
inspection of entrants and leavers, and the special inspection of
pupils selected mainly by the teachers.
It was evident from the outset that some amount of treatment
was inevitable, and Acton was in a favourable position to
meet the emergency. As far back as 1903, a joint appointment of
Health Visitor and School Nurse had been made, and during the
Code Year ending July 31st, 1909, Acton was one of the 37 Authorities
permitted, with the sanction of the Board of Education, to
employ their School Nurses in duties of the nature of treatment.
Acton was also one of the earlier authorities to obtain the sanction
of the Board of Education to the provision of spectacles. Although
at the present time, the provision of spectacles is considered
essential in the education curriculum, in the Code Year 1908-1909,
the sanction had been given to only 21 Authorities, of which Acton
was one. The sanction was given only after we had satisfied the
Board that every endeavour had first been made to obtain the
provision of spectacles by the child's parents or by any voluntary
associations which existed for the purpose. The treatment of
defective vision commenced with a grant of £50 by the Education
Committee in November 1908, but in September 1910, Dr. Grace
Banham was appointed to examine all children referred at the
routine and special inspections, and prescribe spectacles when
necessary.
It is impossible to express in words the almost incredible
improvement which has taken place in the course of 30 years. This
improvement has been achieved in almost all directions, but it is
only in some of these that figures can be given. For instance, out
of 159 boys between the ages of 13 and 16 years of age examined
in 1908, 34, or 21%, were found to have defective vision to the
extent of requiring treatment, and out of 160 girls, 27, or 17%,