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in this direction has depended, largely, on the hard work
and interest of the Health Visitors, who have carried
out the rather tedious treatments with enthusiasm. Good
liaison has existed with the Paediatric Departments at
the Farnborough and Dartford Hospitals and a number
of cases have been referred for advice and treatment
where this was thought to be necessary.
Considerable use was made, during the year, of the
Child Guidance Clinic provided by the Kent County
Council and many cases of maladjustment, some of which
were very severe, were referred to the Psychiatrist. The
co-operation and interest of headteachers is of prime
importance in these cases which raise educational
problems of great difficulty, and I am happy to record
that this has been readily forthcoming.
Facilities for diphtheria immunisation have now
been made available at all school clinics and considerable
work was carried out during the year. In addition, a
review of children requiring booster doses in infant and
junior schools was carried out and 4,467 children were
given booster doses while at school, a whole time Medical
Officer being temporarily appointed for this purpose.
There has recently been formed, in the Borough, a
local group of the British Council for the Welfare of
Spastics which will afford an opportunity for parents of
such handicapped children to meet and exchange ideas
and information relating to their care and upbringing.
There are 18 spastic children in the Borough of Bexley,
and it is important that they should be kept under
constant supervision. In the case of children who are
educable, a home tutor has been provided, in certain
oases, by the Education Authority, and in one case
sufficient progress has been made by the child to qualify
him for admission to the St. Margaret's School, Croydon,
which had rejected him a year before. I am glad to
report that the Paediatric Department at the Farnborough
Hospital will shortly be opening a centre for
these children and arrangements have been made for a
number of children from Bexley to be conveyed on
several days a week for treatment and training.
During the year Dr. Dalzell-Ward has given a
number of lectures to Parent-Teacher Associations on a
variety of subjects affecting the health of the school
child. Such lectures provide an opportunity for group
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