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77
The last arrangement is the only absolutely satisfactory one, and is
now adopted in all new schools. The automatically flushed troughs
are from many points of view unsatisfactory, and should be replaced
as occasion offers. The troughs at Mitcham Road, Beulah Road,
Birchanger Road, and Sydenham Road are the least satisfactory,
and should receive attention at an early date. As previously
reported, flushing apparatus is required for the urinals at Mitcham
Road Boys', Beulah Road Infants', and Dering Place Infants'
Schools. At the latter, the entrance from the playground might
with advantage be screened from the public street. Flushing
apparatus for the urinal at St. Mary's Boys' School is also required.
ORGANIZATION AND CO-ORDINATION OF SCHOOL AND
OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH WORK.
The general organization remained the same as in 1908. The
school medical officer was assisted by one whole time assistant
medical officer (Dr. Sophie Jackson), together with a part time
ophthalmic surgeon, who devotes two half-days per school week to
the work. The whole time of one clerk, together with half the
time of a second clerk, were taken up with school duties, as was
also half the time of each of the five health visitors. Assistance was
also rendered, when required, by other members of the public health
staff, and especially by the senior resident medical officer at the
borough hospital, who was not only responsible for the examination
of the large number of bacteriological specimens sent from school
children, but also assisted me, when required, in the examination of
children at the Town Hall on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Medical Inspection was limited to those children for whom the
present code compelled us to make provision, together with a
variable number of children presented for special examination at the
suggestion of the teachers, attendance officers, attendance committee,
or magistrates.
In my last Annual Report I called attention to the loss of time
that ensued when medical inspections were arranged for schools
where there were not a sufficient number of children in attendance
of that particular age which the Code required us to inspect during
the school year. This difficulty was surmounted during 1910 by
sending periodical post-cards to the head teachers asking them tc
let us know the exact number of children that had matured for the
medical inspection. When these returns are received the clerk in
charge of the work arranges for medical inspections to be held at
those departments where there is enough work to occupy the whole
of a morning or afternoon session. Inspections have also to be fixed