View report page

6
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Reference has been made elsewhere to major epidemics of
measles and influenza, which affected the school children, in
the early months and in the autumn of 1957. There is little
doubt that primary schools are now the main focus for the spread
of infections of the respiratory type amongst children and, as a
sequel, to a lesser degree, amongst the general population.
Smaller families and improved housing have reduced considerably
the risks of pre-school children meeting infections. Consequently,
they succumb readily at school to the childhood ailments - measles,
chicken pox, rubella, etc. and to repeated attacks of the common
cold. I have commented on this in previous reports and concluded
that apart from the maintenance of good nutrition and a high
standard of hygiene in the schools, there are no special methods
for the direct control of such minor respiratory illnesses. It
should be remembered that the postponement of these illnesses
until children are over five years of age is probably an important
factor in the reduced mortality from these causes. The older
child is better able to combat diseases than the infant or toddler.
Class or school closure or stringent exclusion of healthy contacts
produce more loss of schooling than is suffered at present.
This should not imply any relaxation of strict exclusion of
patients and avoidance of their too rapid return and these are
measures to which school staff and school nurses give constant
attention.
Findings at Routine Medical Inspections.
The figures shown in Appendix B, Table V, follow the usual
pattern. Defects of the nose and throat in Entrants are mainly
due to enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids which follow repeated
exposures to respiratory infections.
As noted in Appendix B, Table VIII, vision testing of Entrants
was extended and a greater number of children are therefore recorded
as having had these tests as five year Entrants.