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MEDICAL INSPECTION
Under Section 48 of the Education Act, 1944, it is the duty of every local
education authority to provide for the medical inspection, at appropriate intervals,
of pupils in attendance at any school or county college, maintained by them. The
local education authority also has power to provide inspection of senior pupils in
any other educational establishment maintained by them. The authority may
require pupils to undergo medical inspection in the absence of reasonable excuse.
The arrangements in Enfield are for medical inspections to be carried out on
school entry, at eight years of age, ten years of age, and also at school leaving
age. Children in nursery classes are examined twice a year. A medical officer
visits Southgate Technical College fortnightly to interview students who wish to have
advice regarding their health.
The number of pupils on the register of maintained primary and secondary
schools including nursery and special schools in December, 1965, was 35,573.
During the year, 11,937 children were examined at routine medical inspection
and only one was found to come within the official category of unsatisfactory physical
condition, which is the summing up of the medical officer's opinion of the child's
physical fitness.
Colour Vision
The medical examination at ten years of age includes a colour vision test by
the Ishihara method. Those found by the Ishihara plates to have a defect are retested
by the Giles Archer Lantern test. It is felt that this colour vision testing at
ten years of age is an appropriate age at which to discover any defect likely to be of
disadvantage or bar to the child's entry to certain occupations. 108 children were
found on the Ishihara test to have a degree of colour blindness, and 81 were tested
by the Giles Arches Lantern, of whom two were found to be normal, 39 were found
to be "safe" and 40 "unsafe" in relation to certain practical standards for employment.
Hearing
All children have their hearing tested in school by sweep pure-tone audiometer
three times during their school life, i.e. at school entry, at eight or nine years of age
and at twelve or thirteen years of age. Those children found to have a hearing
deficiency are referred to the family doctor or school medical officer for investigation,
and, if necessary, to the ear, nose and throat consultant. During 1965, 12,671
children were routinely tested in school, and 451 were found to have a hearing
deficiency. In addition, 582 tests were carried out on specially referred children
and 250 were found to have a hearing deficiency. A further 1,620 re-tests were
carried out for various reasons. As a result of this scheme, during 1965, four
children were recommended hearing aids and many children had minor treatment
for conditions affecting their hearing.
(Statistical Tables 48, 49, 50, 51—see pages 139, 140)
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