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16. CO-OPERATION OF VOLUNTARY BODIES.
Reference to 8 (») on page 93 and to 9 (e) on page 97 will
give some measure of the scope of the work carried out in
association with Voluntary Bodies.
17. BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC CHILDREN.
Physically Defective Children.
Table III reveals the very regrettable fact that 72 children
suffering from physical defects are receiving no education owing
to their being totally unfit to attend public elementary schools.
In addition it will be seen that 561 children, who are considered
physically defective, are attending public elementary
schools, and since suitable treatment is not available for some of
these cases it is highly probable that a number of them will ultimately
join the ranks of the unfit.
The 258 children classified as delicate (in Table III) are all
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suffering from a chronic form of defect due to unsatisfactory
environmental, nurtural and congenital conditions, and the only
treatment which holds out any hope of lasting benefit is their
admission to residential schools of recovery for periods varying
from three to twelve months or longer.
Whilst there are many children who enter school in a fairly
advanced stage of invalidity from the above causes, there are also
a great number who exhibit early signs and predisposing conditions
and for whom the routine, hygiene and education in a day
open-air school, in addition to medical supervision and treatment
at the School Clinic, would go far in the prevention of a more
serious defect. These cases have not been classified in Table III
in view of the fact that there is insufficient accommodation for the
severer types of defect in residential open-air schools, and no openair
school is available for their reception. As reported on previous
occasions :—
" The provision of a day open-air school, erected on a
suitable site within the Borough, would tend markedly towards
reducing the number of "definitely physically defective children,
with the result that, at no distant date, the present serious