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County Borough of Croydon.
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER
For the Year ending December 31st, 1931.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1 have the honour to present you my report on the work
carried out by the School Medical Service in 1931.
There have been no expansions of the work other than the
initiation of a Scheme for Orthodontic treatment, which was felt
to be a true preventive measure. This scheme, commenced by
your former senior dental surgeon, Mr. W. G. Senior, has been
elaborated by his successor, Mr. J. F. Pilbeam. A section of my
report is devoted to details of the amount and kind of work done.
Routine Medical Inspections have fallen somewhat in numbers.
This is owing to the increasing demand made on the
medical officers' time in other ways.
The primary function of the School Medical Service is prevention.
Routine Medical Inspections and the operation of the
various Clinics should be regarded as means towards that end.
The ascertainment of defects is not sufficient, the reason for the
presence of defects should) also be sought. In the rush of routine
inspections there may be sometimes a tendency to forget the
essential aim, whilst the opportunities for research into causal
factors and the methods of prevention of causes, are very small
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