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236
ing lighting, ventilation, size of class-rooms, etc. For the sake
of brevity much of this has had to be omitted from this report;
the more clamant defects have been reported to the proper
authorities, and have been remedied.
Co-ordination with Other Health Services.
Close co-operation exists between the Public Health Department
and the School Medical Service, as all the officers of the
latter service are also engaged for a part of their time in Public
Health work. Endeavours have been continued to obtain a closer
continuity between the Maiternity and Child Welfare work and
the School Medical Service, but there appear to be inherent
difficulties under the present system. If the facilities offered by
the School Medical Service, in the way of routine medical and
dental examinations, could be extended to the pre-school child
much closer working, with consequent decrease in the number
of defects found in the Entrant group of school children, would
accrue. At present there does not seem, however, much chance
of such an extension. The gap which exists between the supervision
of the Maternity and Child Welfare Service and the
commencement of the School Medical supervision, is a most
unfortunate one, leading, as the figures in my report show
clearly, to an unduly high incidence of defects found in the five
year old group. Very few children attend Infant Welfare Centres
after the age of 3 years, and, unfortunately, there is no method
comparable with that of the School Medical Service for parents
to obtain treatment for defects that may arise.
The continued co-operation of the Head Teachers and of the
School Attendance Officers has been a valuable help without
which much of the medical work and following up would have
been difficult of proper fulfilment. As can be seen bv the figures
in Table I. parents have attended at the routine medical inspections
whenever home duties allowed, and their presence at the
examination is helpful because the doctor can explain personallv
any instructions he desires carried out. The Voluntary School
Care Committees, and the Croydon Council of Social Service
have also co-operated in the work. The Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children have, through Mr. Brown, their
inspector, rendered assistance with a few difficult cases. 8 cases
have been dealt with, and of these 5 have been brought to a
satisfactory conclusion, whilst 3 still remain under supervision.
The inspector paid 60 visits during the year.