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86
medical officers and the family is of great value in encouraging
any advice which leads to healthier living and prevention of
disease.
In addition to these medical examinations there are the
special clinics : orthopaedic, eye, orthoptic, dental, etc., which
are reported on fully within the report.
We were handicapped during the year by the serious illness
of Dr. Orgler, and I am unable, this year, to continue the investigations
into height and weight comparisons of the Bromley school
child. In the retirement of Miss Briggs, School Nurse in Bromley
for 25 years, we have lost a loyal worker whose knowledge of the
families was invaluable to the service as a whole and who was
untiring in her efforts to make this service what it is to-day
The importance of this work by School Nurses and Health
Visitors cannot be overstressed, for without their knowledge of
the home life and circumstances of the family the work of the
medical staff would be frustrated.
One cannot exclude from this short introduction a comment
on the threatened breakdown of the School Dental Service, which
has been built up over the years into a complete and efficient
service. This breakdown is due to the shortage of Dental Officers
—a shortage due to the financial attraction in other fifclds of
dental work. It is a sincere hope of all interested in the welfare
of the school child that this service will soon recover, otherwise
irreparable damage may result.
There is one other service which is a prime factor in the
improvement in the physique of the school child : the school meal
service. This service has been well advanced in Bromley, and no
less than 79% of Bromley children are receiving this mid-day
meal at school and 92% are receiving the school milk. A fact
which must not be overlooked is that the larger the number of
persons receiving a meal the greater the calamity would be in the
event of food poisoning unless the strictest rules of hygiene in
the handling and preparation of food are applied. I am pleased
to report that the staff dealing with school meals are fully aware
of this, and are, to the best of their ability with facilities available
applying these principles.
All the staff have worked with enthusiasm and efficiency,
and to Mr. Judd, who has been responsible for the collation of
statistics in this report, I am indebted.
K. E. TAPPER;
Medical Officer of Health.