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78
FOLLOWING UP.
As years go on the appreciation of the parents of medical
inspection and the response to advice given either at the actual
inspection or on the occasion of the visit of the school nurse becomes
greater. There is in effect a better recognition of the value of
the steps taken to prevent or detect ill-health in the children.
On the whole parents very readily accept advice and submit
their children for treatment. Sometimes objection is made
to dental treatment of the children but this objection, mostly due
to want of knowledge of the need for proper dental care, is gradually
being worn down. During the year persistent refusal on the part
of a number of parents to accept dental treatment for their children
at the Health Centre was met by letters threatening action under
the Children Act. These letters had the desired effect of securing
the attendance of the children for treatment.
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 1,181 of the 1,360 children
suffering from minor ailments, or 86.9 per cent., were treated at
the Health Centres and 179, or 13.1 per cent., were treated by
private practitioners or at hospitals. The total attendances at
the Health Centres for the daily treatment of minor ailments were
as follows:—
Impetigo 3,987
Ear Cases 1,854
Eye Cases 2,818
Ringworm 408
Scabies 118
Eczema 55
Minor Injuries 1,131
Others 4,279
Total 14,650