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36
Annual Report of the 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, 1943.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Enfield Education Committee.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit my report for the year ending 31st December,
1943.
The picture I am able to draw of the health of the school
children in Enfield is on the whole a bright one. The percentage
of those found at routine inspection to be suffering from malnutrition
in slight form, dropped from 19 per cent, to 13.7 per
cent, during the year. In one respect, however, I am not so satisfied.
There has undoubtedly been an increase in skin infections,
such as impetigo, scabies and other such lesions, and this is well
marked. Whilst I am not inclined to be definite as to the cause,
I feel that it may be associated with housing difficulties and with
increased employment of parents, especially mothers who are
doing overtime and are thus kept away from their homes and
the care of the children. It may be associated with soap rationing,
though this I very much doubt. It has, however, been marked
during the year and has involved considerable work at our minor
ailment clinics.
The School Medical Department is being consulted concerning
the care of difficult and defective children in increasing numbers
and in one or two cases we have had the help and assistance of
Child Guidance Clinics. There is no doubt that a large number
of children are not deriving all the happiness they should from
their home life on account of housing difficulties and in particular