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260
A better method would be for the school medical officers to be,
in actuality, the medical officers of the schools allotted to them,
and each term they would overhaul scholars whose physical or
mental progress was slow, or who had shown a higher rate of
absenteeism than the average for the school. In this way a closer
contact would be maintained than at present, though it might happen
that a number of children would have fewer medical examinations
than at present. For all children, careful height, weight and
nutritional index records would be compiled term by term, together
with the medical history. Children who had returned to school
after a severe illness, would be thoroughly re-examined. Every
child on first entry into a school would have a more complete
examination than is now done and from thenceforth the medical
history would proceed on the above lines. For such a scheme to be
successful it would require the close co-operation of head teachers,
but as such co-operation is practically always forthcoming, there
is little to apprehend on this score.
The total percentage of parents attending was 72.6, as against
71.3 last year. This shows an increasing interest by parents in
medical examinations: a trend which is to be welcomed.