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149
school under special conditions and with special precautions. A
Day School for Physically Defective Children is urgently needed
for these cases. Let us consider, for example, the unenviable
position of children who are, or have been, suffering from
tuberculosis:—
Under the regulations a notified case of definite tuberculosis,
whether pulmonary or non-pulmonary, cannot be denotified until
a minimum period of five years has elapsed since the date of notification,
and during this period the Public Health (Local Sanitary)
Authority is entirely responsible for the welfare of the patient,
both as regards treatment and, especially in the case of children
of school age, as regards education.
It appears to be in the latter connection, the important question
of education, that the difficulty originates.
The Sanatorium School is available for the treatment and
education of children suffering from tuberculosis until the disease
is arrested. But for the subsequent years, pending denotification,
the patient of school age is, in many instances, simply "marking
time" in regard to education and consequent future welfare.
A small number of these children are considered fit to attend
the Ordinary Elementary School, but in many cases this course
cannot be pursued owing to the danger of relapse from even slight
injury or undue strain.
On the other hand, the Local Education Authority is unable to
deal with these children, in the first place because they have no
power to incur expenditure in regard to notified cases of tuberculosis
and, in the second place, because the Governing Authorities
of the recognised schools for Physically Defective Children will not
accept such cases.
Mentally Defective Children.
During the year 1930, the number of cases examined for
purposes of the Mental Deficiency Acts, was 59 (63 in 1929).
Of these 34 were classified as mentally deficient, and 19 as dull and
backward, recommendations being made as shown in the following
table:—