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can only function if the staff of a health department work as a
team—the doctor, the school nurse, the sanitary inspector, the
teacher and the parent. If one is to get the full result of our
efforts we must have uniformity of record and associate the
physical and mental environment of the child with its medical
history. In the early days school medical service was established
mainly with the idea of controlling infection and cleanliness
at school. Recent years saw the establishment of medical
clinics and the treatment of minor and special ailments. The
future must take under survey the whole physical and mental
environment of the child at school and at home. The parent,
teacher, doctor, nurse and sanitary inspector, and the physical
training officer will function as a team working in the child's
welfare and there must be no watertight compartments within
the controlling local authority.
1946 was the first complete post-war year and it was with
the hope of the approach to normal, that the special investigation
could be made on the effects of war upon the child. Unhappily
normality was not complete and all that could be noted
was that the home environment with its overcrowding and
housing shortage was having an unhappy psychological effect
on the behaviour of many children. Dr. Orgler, assistant school
medical officer, noted especially the prolongation of minor illness—probably
aggravated by lack of sunshine. It is of interest
to note that these children responded well to ultra violet ray
treatment. The increase of intestinal disorders may have been
due to food shortages, and the increase in the number of cases
of stomatitis to a lack of sufficient vitamin C in the diet. It is
of interest to note that a bacterial investigation of communal
feeding places showed pathological organisms in the dish washing
and food utensils in school kitchens. It may be that these
factors are coincident but further investigation is necessary.
The school health staff have worked at full pressure and
with enthusiasm. The liaison with the County has been a
happy one and with the Local Education Committee our relations
all that one could desire. It is essential, however, that if
The health services are to be fully effective local interest and
control must be encouraged.