London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Haringey 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Haringey]
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SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
Dr. Mary Douglas, Principal Medical Officer
School Population
The School population of the Borough on 20 January 1972 was as shown in the following table:—
| Primary Schools and Nursery Classes | 24,828 |
| Nursery Schools | 370 |
| Secondary Comprehensive Schools | 13,101 |
| Other Secondary Schools | 1,072 |
| Special Schools — | |
| The Vale School (for Physically Handicapped) | 87 |
| Blanche Nevile School (for the Deaf) | 155 |
| (including classes for partially-hearing) | |
| The Moselle School (for Educationally Sub-normal) | 73 |
| William C. Harvey School (for severely Educationally Sub-normal) | 101 |
| Suntrap Residential Open-Air School | 100 |
| TOTAL | 39,887 |
Medical Examinations in School
The medical examination of the school child is designed to prevent any handicap impeding the child's ability to
learn. Particular attention is therefore directed to the supervision of the special senses.
Routine medical inspection of the school children is undertaken on entry to school and in the final year of school
life. At other times examination is by selection. Such children may have been found to have a defect at a routine
medical inspection or they may be selected for examination at the request of the parent or Head Teacher.
The school doctors try to visit their schools at regular intervals so that they may be available for consultation
with the Head Teacher or staff. The schools for handicapped children receive visits from a medical officer at least
once a week.
Periodic Medical Inspection
The following table shows the number of children inspected by years of birth and the classification of their physical condition:—
| Year of Birth | Number of Pupils inspected | Physical Condition of Pupils inspected | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | ||||
| Number | % | Number | % | ||
| 1967 & later | 266 | 266 | 100 | - | - |
| 1966 | 1,631 | 1,628 | 99.8 | 3 | 0.2 |
| 1965 | 2,491 | 2,486 | 99.8 | 5 | 0.2 |
| 1964 | 863 | 861 | 99.8 | 2 | 0.2 |
| 1963 | 424 | 420 | 99.1 | 4 | 0.9 |
| 1962 | 336 | 335 | 99.7 | 1 | 0.3 |
| * 1961 | * 762 | * 759 | 99.6 | *3 | 0.4 |
| * 1960 | * 937 | * 936 | 99.9 | *1 | 0.1 |
| * 1959 | * 562 | * 559 | 99.5 | *3 | 0.5 |
| 1958 | 247 | 244 | 98.8 | 3 | 1.2 |
| 1957 | 696 | 694 | 99.7 | 2 | 0.3 |
| 1956 & earlier | 776 | 774 | 99.7 | 2 | 0.3 |
| TOTALS | 9,991 | 9,962 | 99.7 | 29 | 0.3 |
*Signifies Selective Medical Examinations
In the Appendix to this report will be found an analysis of the defects found at periodic medical inspections to
require treatment or observation.
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