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38
INTRODUCTION.
The work of the School Medical Service has continued
at its pre-War level in spite of the many difficulties
associated with War-time. The attendances at
the various clinics have, in fact, been in excess of the
previous years but it is noted that the response to treatment
appears to be longer. This may be due to war
conditions, or it may indicate the lack of home care and
the tendency of the parent to place the entire responsibility
upon local clinics. There is no conclusive
evidence that there is lowered resistance to infection of
the school child or of lack of recuperative power of
the patient. The nutrition of the school child shows no
sign of deterioration; in fact, the general impression is
one of increased well being, mainly, in my view, due
to the establishment of school meals and the provision
of a well-balanced diet both at school anil, indirectly,
through the control of food by the Ministry of Food.
There is, however, a theoretical deficiency of Vitamin C
especially in the winter months but there is, as yet no
evidence of the result of this deficiency. The provision
of milk in school shows a tendency to increase, but there
are cases where the mid-morning provision tends to
destroy the appetite of the child for the mid-day meal.
The increase in child delinquency or of maladjustments
is noted, especially in the younger age group of
111—12 years. This coincides with the lessening of
parental control, with the father on War service and the
mother, in many cases, on work of National importance.
The extension of play centres and of organisations for
direction of the activities of the child of 10—12 would
appear to be desirable and necessary if we are to combat
and prevent this increase in the maladjusted child.
At certain periods, especially following continuous
raiding, a deterioration of cleanliness has been noted—
coinciding with this is the increase of skin diseases.
This lack of cleanliness is mainly due to overcrowding
and to shelter life, and, in some isolated cases, to
shortage of water supply following raiding and also,
perhaps, due to the short supply of soap. The " submerged
tenth " have had a greater opportunity to
exercise their neglect and a reasonable excuse for such
neglect.