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of their parents are cleansed at the Cleansing Stations which have been established
in connection with the School Clinics of the Authority. All cases are kept under
observation until cleansed. In a few instances it is necessary to prosecute.
10. Other Medical Supervision of Children Educated in Public Elementary Schools.
(a) Proposals for medical observation and supervision of employed children (Section 15,
Education Act, 1918); This Section is as follows:—
(1) The local education authority, if they are satisfied by a report of the school
medical officer or otherwise that any child is being employed in such a
manner as to be prejudicial to his health or physical development, or to
render him unfit to obtain the proper benefit from his education, may
either prohibit, or attach such conditions as they think fit to, his employment
in that or any other manner, notwithstanding that the employment
may be authorised under the other provisions of this Act or
any other enactment.
(2) It shall be the duty of the employer and the parent of any child who is in
employment, if required by the local education authority, to furnish
to the authority such information as to his employment as the authority
may require, and, if the parent or employer fails to comply with any
requirement of the local education authority or wilfully gives false information
as to the employment, he shall be liable on summary conviction
to a fine not exceeding forty shillings.
A return by the Chief Education Officer in 1913 showed that approximately 1,672 children
attending the Public Elementary Schools were employed. In order to take any necessary action
under the above Section of the Act of 1918, all these children should be submitted for medical inspection
on the occasion of the Medical Inspector's visits to the School, and any necessary reports
given to the Local Education Authority.
(b) Proposals for dealing in consultation with the Sanitary Authority with infectious
diseases and other matters of common interest. As and when occasion arises and in
order to unify any particular matter of common interest the Children's Care Committee
of the Education Committee and the Health Committee of the Council meet
in conference and come to an agreed solution.
(c) Proposals for medical investigations as to subnormal (dull or backward) children, or
abnormal (stammering, short.sighted, etc.) children—As and when the routine matters
arising out of the Medical Inspection and treatment of children are complete and
in running order it is proposed from time to time to institute medical investigations
to elucidate the cause, prevention, or treatment of various conditions affecting
school children.
(d) Proposals for ascertaining what children (whether in attendance at school or not)
are blind, deaf, physically defective or epileptic for the purpose of the Special
Acts;
(e) Proposals for ascertaining what children are defective within the meaning of the Mental
Deficiency Act, 1913, and notifying suitable cases to the Local Control Authority
in accordance with the Mental Deficiency (Notification of Children) Regulations,
1914.
The children referred to above may be classified as follows:—
Abnormal Children:—
(A) Mentally Abnormal, including:—
(1) Idiot.
(2) Imbecile.
(3) Feeble.minded.
(4) Moral Imbecile.
(5) Dull or Backward.
(6) Epileptic.
(B) Physically Abnormal, including:—
(7) Physically Defective.
(8) Blind.
(9) Deaf.
Children belonging or suspected as belonging to one or other of the above groups as hereinbefore
defined, are notified by Head Teachers in respect of children attending school and by School
Attendance Officers in respect of children not in attendance at school, and whether under or over
seven years of age, to the School Medical Officer on the " Specially Referred " salmon coloured
card.