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COUNTY BOROUGH OF CROYDON
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE PRINCIPAL
SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER
FOR THE YEAR
1959
To the Chairman and Members of the Education Committee.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present this Annual report of the
Principal School Medical Officer, which is the 56th to be made
to the Croydon Education Authority.
During 1959 there was an intensive campaign to overtake the
arrears of routine work due to medical staff having been
diverted to duties in connection with poliomyelitis. It will be
observed that the total number of routine inspections rose by
over 30%, and this despite a period early in the year when exceptional
demands were made upon the department for vaccination
against polio from the 15 to 25 years old group.
While it was possible to thus concentrate on medical duties,
the persistent shortage of dentists was aggravated by absence
through illness. Furthermore having solved the problem of
accommodation in New Addington a fresh difficulty arose through
the proposed demolition of the buildings in the Waldrons in
which the dental clinic for South Croydon is held. A shift of
school population to the Waddon area made replacement on the
site inappropriate, and a suitable alternative had not been obtained
at the close of the year. It had been agreed however,
that subject to a site being found a combined School and
Maternity Child Welfare Clinic should be erected. In regard to
the prevention of dental decay I commend the measures suggested