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111
I should like to take this opportunity to express my indebtedness
to Dr. Dobson for his co-operation in any cases which have
been referred to him for his opinion.
FOLLOWING UP.
The work of the School Medical Services would not be complete
without well organised arrangements for ensuring that the
defects discovered receive appropriate treatment. For this purpose
the parent is invited to be present at all inspections so that an
opportunity may be had of explaining any defect discovered and
in addition a notice is sent informing the parent of the particular
defect discovered and advising how the appropriate treatment can
be obtained in each case.
Visits are then made to the home by the School Nurses in all
cases where parents fail to secure treatment, to impress them of
its necessity, and in certain cases which have been referred for
treatment to outside sources to ascertain if that has been obtained.
The total number of visits made to the home by the School Nurses
during the year was 4,054.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The following Tables show the incidence of infectious diseases
in public elementary schools.
These are accurate as regards Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria,
but as regards Measles, Chickenpox and Whooping Cough they
are only approximately correct, as these diseases are not notifiable
and the information is derived from particulars which are supplied
to the Head Teachers by the parents, but they are sufficiently
accurate to give a reasonable indication of the incidence of these
diseases in the schools.
It will be seen that the incidence of Scarlet Fever was low,
as was also that of Measles, Table XXXIII. giving an excellent
illustration of the biennial periodicity of this disease.
The number of cases of Measles and Whooping Cough also
increased during the year,