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68
The Local Authority still reserves four beds (two for boys
and two for girls) at the Russell-Cotes School of Recovery, Parkstone,
Dorset. The children are sent for a period of six weeks or
longer. Sixteen girls and sixteen boys were sent during 1933.
During 1933 two beds were also reserved for a period of
six months at Collington Manor, Bexhill, and three girls and two
boys were sent during this period. Wherever possible the Local
Authority recovers part of the cost of maintenance from the parent,
but as most of the children are drawn from really necessitous
homes, the amount recovered is comparatively small.
There was a total of 14 deaths among school children during
the year. In 1932 there were 23. The causes of death during 1933
were as follows:—
5 Pneumonia.
2 Osteomyelitis.
1 Tuberculous Meningitis.
1 Meningitis.
1 acute Nephritis.
1 Epilepsy.
2 Accidents.
1 Murdered.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE IN RELATION TO PUBLIC
HEALTH.
On the whole the hygienic conditions of the schools in Enfield
may be considered satisfactory. Most of them are in good surroundings
and well ventilated. With three exceptions the schools are lit
by gas ; in the cases of Botany Bay Council, Chesterfield Road
Council, and St. Matthew's C.E., Ponders End, electric light has been
installed. The schools are warmed with hot-water pipes and open
fires. Most of the desks are of the dual type, except for children
in the Infants' Departments where small chairs and tables are used.
Five Senior Departments have single locker desks. The rooms
are cleaned regularly and the floors swept with a suitable preparation.
The water supply is sufficient. The sanitary conveniences
at the non-provided schools are cleansed regularly every day by
one of the employees of the Public Health Department ; whilst,
in addition to this, every quarter the Sanitary Inspectors visit
all the schools in the district and report on any defective condition
that may be found. The water carriage system of sanitation is
present in all the schools except St. John's, Clay Hill, where middens
are provided and supervised weekly by the Public Health Department.