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62
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Through the returns of cases of non-notifiable infectious
disease, furnished weekly by the head-teachers, it was ascertained
that during the year the number of children absent from school
as actual cases of, or contacts with, non-notifiable infectious disease
were 826 due to measles, 65 to whooping cough, 446 to chicken pox
and 70 due to mumps. As children under school age are usually
affected with measles and whooping cough in the homes from
which notifications are made, the Health Visitors undertake the
visiting of the homes and giving of advice. All the houses affected
by these notifications were duly visited,
There was no occasion during the year to give a certificate
that the reduction of attendance below 60 per cent, in any school
was due to the prevalence of infectious disease.
Children to the number of 291 were excluded during the year
under Article 53 of the Education Code for the following conditions :
Conjunctivitis 10
Impetigo 246
Ringworm of the Head 17
Ringworm of the Body 3
Scabies 3
Other Skin Diseases 12
Total 291
In the course of routine and non-routine medical inspection
of the children considerable use is made of the facilities offered by
the Public Health Laboratory.
Specimens of hairs are examined for ringworm and swabs are
taken from all sore throats and suspicious conditions of the nose
and of the ear and submitted for bacteriological examination for
the bacillus of diphtheria. Children are excluded from school,
when it is deemed desirable, until the bacteriological report is
available.