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64
treatment and the value of it, while with a few something more
is required, it may be in the way of pointing out their duty to their
children and even by threatening action under the Children Act
for failing in their duty.
Following-up or supervision after inspection can be assisted
by the teachers, who can inform the School Medical Officer when
treatment has been obtained or when the advice given is not carried
out. After medical inspection the head-teachers receive two
copies of a form which contains a list of all the children found
defective on School Medical Inspection. One of the forms is
retained by the head-teacher, who is able to keep, with respect
to all abnormal children, a complete record, which may be of
assistance to him in estimating their educational progress and in
keeping them under special supervision. The other copy is sent
to the Health Centre at the end of six weeks after medical inspection
and on it the head-teacher enters a note as to whether the treatment
has been obtained as a result of the notice sent to the parents by
the School Medical Officer. In this way the teacher comes into
touch with the parents in regard to the care and treatment of the
children and at the same time is able to give valuable assistance
in following-up many cases which cannot be visited at their home
as early as may be desired by the school nurse.
The school nurse in due course visits the homes of the defective
children and is able as already indicated to see that the advice
of the medical officer is carried out and to encourage the securing
of the treatment required.
In connection with the following-up of defective children the
school nurses made 2,810 visits to the homes and to the schools.
MEDICAL TREATMENT.
(a) Minor Ailments.—In Table IV are indicated the number
and the nature of the minor ailments which received treatment
during the year. It will be noted that 833 of the 1,046 children
suffering from minor ailments, or 79.6 per cent., were treated at
the Health Centres, and 213, or 20.4 per cent., were treated by
private practitioners or at hospitals.