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19
I would wish this year to discuss the matter from another
standpoint, and that is that the education of the mothers and
fathers of to-morrow should definitely include positive teaching
on the principles underlying the spread of infectious disease. It
is in this way only that we can look forward with confidence to the
future.
It is obvious on all hands that we have to-day as high, indeed
a higher, conception of the responsibilities of parents than we have
had for a very long time in this country, but nevertheless we are
face to face with the fact that parents are still negligent when it
comes to their attitude towards the spread of infection.
To a certain extent this is because the home circumstances
do not lend themselves to the necessary isolation, and indeed it
may be said that in some cases adequate isolation is impossible,
but I do feel that if we had a more informed public opinion on the
questions involved, even our inadequate amenities could be used
to better effect than they are at present.
Where the attendance of a school falls below 60 per cent. and
in the opinion of the Medical Officer this bad attendance is directly
due to the prevalence of infectious disease, the school sessions so
affected are not counted in estimating the average attendance
for the purpose of grant. During 1929 one certificate was granted
for this purpose.