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48
CHANGES SINCE 1916.
Dr. Alice Stalker, who carried out the work of medical inspection,
obtained another appointment and left us at the beginning of
the year. The Council advertised for a successor but failed to
get one so Dr. John Kennedy, a local practitioner, was appointed
as a part-time officer.
MEDICAL INSPECTION: ARRANGEMENTS AND SCOPE.
It became impossible on account of the changes above outlined
to continue routine inspection of the Entrants and Leavers,
etc., so during this year only Special cases (ailing children and
the like) have been inspected at the Schools. For this purpose
Dr. Kennedy devotes three afternoons per week, accompanied by
the School Nurse, to visiting the Schools in turn. The Head
Teachers are notified of the visit and are asked to select cases
for inspection and for re-examination. The Doctor inspects,
refers cases for treatment to the Minor Ailments Clinic, hospital
or private doctor, as the case may be, and where necessary directs
the nurse to follow up the cases by visiting their homes. In
addition to seeing these selected cases Dr. Kennedy looks at all
the children and selects for detailed examination any child
who appears to show any deviation from the normal.
WORK OF THE SCHOOL NURSES.
There are two School Nurses, one of whom devotes the whole
of her time to the work of School medical inspection and treatment;
the second Nurse devotes five-sixths of her time to School
work and the remainder to visiting infants in connection with the
Notification of Births Act. The whole-time Nurse assists with
the medical inspection in the Schools, visits children's homes in
order to "follow up" cases and to instruct the parents of verminous
and neglected children, under the supervision of the
Medical Officer. She carries out the treatment of children at the
Minor Ailments Clinic, and assists daily at the Inspection Clinic
and with the clerical work of the School Medical Department.
The part-time Nurse assists the School Dentist and performs some
clerical duties connected with the work of the Dental Clinic.