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101
Brought forward 98
(c) Delicate Children—
(1) Cases of pre- or latent Tuberculosis =140
(2) Cases of malnutrition, anaemia and debility discovered at
routine medical inspection during 1924 = 289
(3) Cases of malnutrition, anaemia and debility referred as special
cases during 1924 = 37
(4) Other conditions = 49
515
Total 613
This figure of 613 is corroborated by the probable number of crippled and delicate children in
Willesden based on the Board of Education's index figure. This figure represents the number of
abnormal children which it is expected would be found in any area, and is based on a figure which is
half-way between the ascertained number of abnormal children in the London area and the average
number in 208 other areas. For Willesden it works out at 562.
All the above 613 or 562 children do not require to be in continuous attendance at an Open-Air
School, but the 98 children in attendance at the Physically Defective Schools do, and a considerable
proportion of the 515 or 464 remaining. All of them, however, should have open-air education for
some part of their school lives.
(iii.) A site for an Open-Air School should be large enough to permit the establishment of a
playing field and a school garden and 2 acres is considered to be the minimum area for a school accommodating
100-120 children. The site at Pound Lane, which is approximately 2 acres, would be large
enough to accommodate the children attending the present Physically Defective Schools, namely,
98, and provide 22 places for the 515 or 464 delicate children who require open-air education in
Willesden.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
To be presented to the Children's Care Committee on the 14th October, 1925.
APPENDIX L.
To the Chairman and Members of the Children's Care Committee.
REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE DENTAL SCHEME OF OCTOBER, 1924
I beg to report in accordance with the following Minute :—
" School Medical Service Scheme.
21.—With reference to our report of 6th March, 1925 (p. 507) and to the letter from
the Board of Education (1/10/1924), els to the review of the working of the revised dental
scheme, we have requested the Medical Officer to report hereon at our next meeting."
(Minutes dated 2nd December, 1925.)
On June 6th, 1923, the Education Committee adopted a School Medical Service Scheme, which
was approved by the Board of Education on June 23rd, 1923. This scheme included a Dental Scheme.
On July 2nd, 1924, the School Medical Service Scheme, including the Dental Scheme, was
revised and received the general approval of the Ministry of Health on August 11th, 1924, and the
Board of Education on October 1st, 1924. The Board of Education, however, took exception to the
Dental Scheme.
On November 5th, 1924, the Willesden Education Committee, in view of the Board's criticism,
recommended " that the revised (dental) scheme, as submitted to the Board, be given a year's trial."
This course was agreed to by the Board in a letter dated December 23rd, 1924, which expressed the
intention of the Board to reconsider the matter at the end of this period.
In October, 1924, the revised dental scheme was put into operation, and has been in operation
ever since. The trial period of one year has therefore elapsed and the scheme is due for review.
The Dental Scheme of October, 1924, is as follows :—
(1) All public elementary school children shall be dentally examined at the Schools.
(2) Public elementary school children found, on examination, to be suffering from dental
defects requiring attention shall be referred to a private dental practitioner.
(3) Public elementary school children found to be suffering from dental defects and found to
be necessitous (in accordance with the Committee's Economic Circumstances Scale),
and in respect of whom a postcard has not been received from a private dental practitioner
stating that he is undertaking the treatment of the case may be treated at the
Clinics (free of charge).