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CHILDREN IN CARE
There are six homes, accommodating 71 school children, under the control of
the Children's Officer. These are visited about six times a year during the school
holidays by a medical officer who advises on diet, general health matters and
hygiene of the homes, and medically examines children on admission and annually.
Each child is on the list of a general medical practitioner for medical treatment.
At the request of the London Borough of Barnet, two of that authority's homes
which are situated in this borough and which provide accommodation for 24
children are also medically supervised by our medical officers.
Statutory medical examinations and general medical care of children placed
in foster homes are dealt with by general medical practitioners.
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Epidemic (Winter) Vomiting
Yet again this year a number of schools reported minor outbreaks of epidemic
vomiting. No cause for this type of illness has yet been found but it is thought to
be a virus infection, although this has not yet been confirmed bacteriologically.
The children are usually quite well after 48 hours but are excluded from
school for one week to try to limit the spread of infection.
Sonne Dysentery
Towards the end of the year there was rather a severe outbreak of dysentery
at a junior school and it was decided to close the school two days before the end
of term. All schools were asked to notify the department immediately there were
more than two or three children in one class showing symptoms of digestive upset
with or without diarrhoea. To stop the spread of infection parents of children
suspected of suffering from the disease were asked to consult their family doctor
and to keep their children away from school until they were found by bacteriological
examination to be clear of infection.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
A case of pulmonary tuberculosis in a teacher was detected at one of the
technical colleges in May. An investigation of all contacts undertaken by the Chest
Clinic revealed no further cases.
Another case occurred in a school child at a junior school and again no spread
of the disease was found on investigation.
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