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23
Annual Report of School
Medical Officer,
DENNIS H. GEFFEN,
M.D., B.S., D.P.H., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.
For the Year ending 31st December, 1940.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Enfield Education Committee.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit my Annual Report on the health of the school
children of Enfield for the year ending 31st December, 1940.
The work of the department was carried on steadily despite
the war, though in some respects it had to be suspended, and in
others curtailed. It will be seen that the number of children
examined in Routine Medical Inspection is lower by 85u than in
the previous year. Air raids and Air Raid Precaution distractions
account, to a certain extent, for this. It must be remembered,
however, that the department carried out a large amount of work
in examing children to see if they were fit for evacuation both at
home and overseas, and this took up a considerable time.
During the course of the year the Committee accepted with
regret Dr. Forrester's resignation on the grounds of ill-health.
Dr. Forrester had served the Committee for nineteen years, and
had helped to build the School Medical Service. The good wishes
of all her colleagues follow her in her retirement. Dr. Forrester
was replaced on 9th May, 1940 by Dr. M. E. Nevin.
Throughout the year the Albany Clinic continued to be used
as a First Aid Post, and the work of dealing with minor ailments
was transferred therefrom to the old Eastfielcl Road School Clinic.
I am satisfied that the health of the children attending Enfield
schools has been maintained at a satisfactory level. It will be
noted that, with the exception of Scabies, skin disease was less
frequent. Scabies, itself, deserves mention. It is a disease of
the skin known as "Itch" and is being seen increasingly, not only
in Enfield, but throughout the country. It became obvious to