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The Deputy Medical Officer, Dr. Watson, devoted 6/llths of
his time to school medical duties; Dr. Pickup 7/llths; Dr. Martine
6/llths; Dr. Jenkin-Lloyd 2/llths; Dr. McMahon 3/llths; Dr.
Morrison 5/llths.
The groups examined have been entrants, usually aged 5-7
years; intermediates 6 years; and leavers 12-14 years. These are
the three statutory groups. Examinations of children outside these
groups are classified as " others." Children brought forward by head
teachers, enquiry officers, school nurses, etc., are classified ar
" specials."
The same arrangements as appertained in 1935, continues
The Leaver group (13th birthday) are examined the first term ; tht
Intermediates (8-9 years) the second term; and the entrants
(5 years) the last term. An effort, somewhat hampered by illness
among the medical staff, has been made to carry out reinspections
more frequently. It is still far from complete.
Table II. gives a summary of the number of children examined
in the various classes in the different schools, together with the
parental attendance at the examinations. A total of 7,312 children
were examined as compared with 8,342 in 1935, and 5,309 parents
attended the examinations. The percentage attendance of parents
in the Entrants group was for boys 81.7 per cent., and girls 87.2
per cent.; in the Intermediate group, boys 69.7 per cent., girls
7.9 per cent.; and in the Leavers' group, boys 43.8 per cent., girls
56.0 per cent. 12,122 re-inspections were made as against 8,719 in
1935, and 8,286 in 1934.
There has been an increase in the number of parents who
attend the medical inspections with their children. It is pleasing
to note this increase is over all the groups and not confined to the
younger children.
The present set routine medical inspection at fixed age groups
is in need of revision and a more fluid system adopted. The service
has now had many years experience of the present methods and
there is nothing more to be learnt on the old lines. The times of
examination are too far apart and too infrequent to be of great
value, whilst the thorough examination of perfectly normal children
consumes time which might be more profitably spent in concentrating
upon the weakly and those exhibiting minor degrees of
defects.