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LONDON BOROUGH OF CROYDON
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE PRINCIPAL
SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER
FOR THE YEAR
1968
To the Chairman and Members of the Education Committee.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
In presenting this fourth Annual Report of the work of the School Health
Service for the London Borough of Croydon, I would mention certain items.
Routine School Medical Inspections
These increased in number to cope with a larger school population. The
percentage of children found with defects requiring attention was lower than
in 1967. It is satisfactory to know that the health of children is improving,
but the diminished positive findings emphasized the need to reconsider any
equally effective alternative procedure less costly in medical time. Unfortunately
none has so far been described which seems to make a major change
unquestionably worthwhile.
Cleanliness and Skin Defects
Last year I commented on the reappearance of scabies and ringworm of
the scalp. Fewer cases were found in 1968 than in the previous year. Details
are given of a commencing enquiry into the prevalence, cause and treatment
of Athlete's Foot, begun with the help of the bacteriology department of a