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97
schools and individual age groups. It may well be that the increase
of defects is due to the continued unsatisfactory housing
conditions, where so many of the families are sharing accommodation
without adequate essential facilities within the home, or
it may be that the additional and higher age groups inspected
have added to the defects discovered. The increase in flat feet
defect is more likely to be due to the difficulty in obtaining footwear
than to the nutritional factor, when it has been proved that
the height and weight of children in selected age groups have
actually increased over the prewar years.
SPECIAL INSPECTIONS.
(See Tables I B, II A, cols. 4 and 5, III, Group I, and Table VIII)
The extension of the clinic services to Hayes and Burnt Ash
has increased the number of children coming under medical
supervision of the School Health Services—some 4,708 cases
calling for 8,533 medical examinations. These clinics are
available not only to all children attending maintained schools
but to the child under 5 years, cases being referred from routine
inspections at school, by head teachers, welfare officers or direct
by the parents. There are 15 special medical inspection clinics
a week during school term.
From these medical inspections the child is directed into the
line of treatment required, and, in appropriate cases, to the
School Nurse at the Minor Ailment Treatment Clinic.
Cases requiring special investigation or certification for
educational purposes are referred to the Municipal Offices on
Saturday mornings, 155 children being so referred during the
year.
It is of some interest to note that 222 cases were referred
to Farnborough Hospital for Pediatricians' and other specialists'
advice and treatment. The link with this hospital and the
Pediatric Unit is invaluable and I am indeed appreciative of the
help given by Dr. Hackwood, Dr. Leys and Mr. Lipscombe, the
ear, nose and throat consultant.
With the increased clinical duties placed upon the Medical
Officers and School Nurses, there is a danger that these duties
may detract from the real purpose of the service, viz. maintenance
of health. The practice of medicine can be divided into
three main services: 1, the treatment of disease: 2, prevention of
development of disease in its early stages, and 3, prevention of
deterioration of health and advancement of the state of health.
The School Health Services have operated during the past years