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(g) Speech Training.
Speech Training was recommenced in the year 1943, and
eighty one children were examined and recommended for inclusion in
Speech Training Classes.
Latterly, consideration has been given to the question of
the age at which children would most benefit from Speech Tuition and
it was agreed that children under the age of eleven years, attending
a Junior School, should not normally be recommended for such Tuition,
except in specially selected cases.
(h) Foot Clinic.
The Municipal Foot Clinic has been held throughout the year
at the East Street premises.The attendances of school children are
much less than in the previous year, this being due, in large measure
to the decline in numbers of children suffering from Plantar Warts,
which was rather prevalent in the latter part of 1942.
Year Year Year
1941. 1942. 1943.
Attendance of O.E.S.
Scholars at Municipal
Foot Clinic 277 436 213
7. INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
(a) Scarlet Fever. Two hundred and fifty three cases were
notified as suffering from Scarlet Fever, this being somewhat more
than the number (211) notified in 1942.
There were no outstanding features however and the cases
reported were of a mild nature.
The temporary arrangements approved by the Ministry of
Health whereby medicine and medical assistance with nursing can be
supplied, where necessary, are still in operation.
(b) Whooping Cough. There were ninety four notified cases of
school children suffering from Whooping Cough but I am pleased to be
able to report that here again nothing in the shape of an epidemic
was experienced.
(c) Measles. This type of disease shewed a marked decrease,
only three hundred and thirty five cases being notified in 1943
against six hundred and sixty one during the previous year.
(d) Diphtheria. Only nine cases were notified which is thirteen
less than in 1942 when there were twenty two notifications.
In my last report I referred to the campaign against this
disease by means of immunisation and there is no doubt that the danger
of children contracting the disease is greatly diminished thereby.
It is significant that out of a School population of 10,718,
at the 31st December, 1943, ten thousand five hundred and sixty eight
school children had been completely immunised, (about ninety one per cent).
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