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110
Other Defects.
This classification includes such minor conditions a.s
catarrh, digestive disorders, influenza, infectious disease
and infective disorders.
That 98 of the children examined at routine medical
inspection were classified under this heading as requiring
treatment is an indication that far too many children are
in attendance at school in an unfit state to receive educational
benefit, and are in many cases spreading catarrhal
infection to other normally healthy children. The special
inspection (see Table II.) shows that 1,196 out of a total
of 3,235 cases were classified under this heading.
It is the examination of these sick children and the
issuing of the necessary certificates that occupies so much
medical time, but many chronic defects are brought to light
that would not otherwise be discovered.
Folloiving-up.
Cases are f'ollowed-up at home, and at school, by the
School Nurses, or by School Attendance Officers, according
to the nature of the defect discovered at medical inspections,
or they may be referred for special inspection at the
special clinics. Children requiring material assistance are
referred to the Bromley Children's Care Committee, whose
valuable contribution to the work of the School Medical
Service will be readily appreciated from perusal of their
Annual Report which is printed on page 121.
In case of wilful neglect, the matter is passed to the
N.S.P.C.C. Inspector for his independent action.
The transfer of children from one local authority to
another calls for the interchange of medical records, and
similar procedure applies to children under treatment at
hospitals. To-day there is very little overlapping, and the
helpful co-operation so necessary for the welfare of the
child is functioning automatically.
Treatment.
The tables of statistics in the appendix give details of
cases treated during the year. We now have two special
clinic buildings, one opened at Station Road in 1928