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SCHOOL HEALTH
Medical inspection
The purpose of the medical inspection required by Section 48 of the
Education Act 1944 is to ensure the fitness of school children to derive the
maximum benefit from the education provided.
The procedure adopted for the medical inspection, at appropriate intervals,
of pupils attending maintained schools has followed the same pattern as in
previous years. Full medical inspection is provided at school entry, at ten
years of age and during the last statutory year at school, with a vision test
only at eight years of age. The form of appointment for the medical inspection
invites a parent to be present, thus providing an opportunity for parent and
medical officer to discuss the child's health and development. An estimateof
the child's physical condition is made at the time of the inspection, and the
12,050 examined in 1971 were all classified as satisfactory. Following the
final medical inspection before leaving school, the Careers Officer is notified
if, for health reasons, a pupil should not undertake certain types of employment.
Medical inspection is not provided at the nine independent schools in the
borough, but these schools are included in the B.C.G. vaccination scheme.
Medical Officers no longer visit the two technical colleges, each of which has
now made arrangements with general medical practitioners. Arrangements
have continued, however, for students to be offered B.C.G. vaccination, and
the Mass Radiography Unit continues to visit both colleges in the Autumn.
Of 351 students from Enfield College of Technology who attended for chest
X-ray examination, five were referred for investigation. In the case of two of
these no further action was subsequently deemed necessary, and the other
three remained outstanding, being subject to six-monthly check.
From Southgate Technical College 467 students attended for chest X-ray
examination. Only one was referred for investigation, and in this case no
further action was subsequently considered necessary.
Section 48
Education Act 1944
Persons with defective colour vision are unable to follow certain occupations.
In order that pupils may be made aware of any such defect reasonably early
in their school lives, the intermediate periodic medical inspection — at approximately
ten years of age — includes a colour vision test by the Ishihara
method. Those found by this method to have a defect are further tested by
the less selective Giles Archer Lantern Test.
One hundred and forty-two boys and eight girls were found by the Ishihara
test to have a degree of colour blindness. Of the 81 boys and five girls tested
by the Giles Archer Lantern, sixteen boys and two girls were found to be
normal, nineteen boys and two girls were found to be safe and 46 boys and
one girl unsafe in relation to certain standards for employment.
Colour Vision
Children are sweep tested three times during their school life and more
frequently on request or where there is known or suspected hearing loss. In
addition, some pre-school children are tested either by audiometry or free
field testing. One of the audiology technicians attended the ear, nose and
throat clinics and tested children as requested by the consultants.
Children failing their hearing tests are referred for investigation to medical
officers or family doctors, and may, following this, be referred to ear, nose
and throat consultants or audiology clinics, although many require only
minor treatment for the conditions affecting their hearing. Of the 105
Hearing
87