View report page

30
Extracts from the six-monthly Reports of the Medical Officer
(Dr. J. S. Coleman) :
September, 1938.
It is pleasing to note that the general health of the children
has been very good, the number of cases of serious injury and
illness small and there have been no deaths.
The number of cases of infectious disease during the period
under review has been rather high, chiefly owing the incidence
of measles during the epidemic whidh swept the country in the
spring. 29 cases occurred, and as I have previously reported,
few cases arose on the Nursery, for by good fortune only the
toddlers and older children, who are better able to withstand its
ravages, took the infection.
There was also an outbreak of Chicken Pox which involved
the Nursery and the older children. 15 cases occurred, but
happily most of the cases were of a very mild character. I must
note that amongst the infants, inflammation of the eye (purulent
conjunctivitis) was a troublesome complication and in one of the
older children the disease was of a serious (semi-confluent) type.
The remainder of the infectious diseases comprise 5 each of
Scarlet Fever and Mumps, 2 cases of Diphtheria and 4 of German
Measles, bringing the total number for the half-year up to 60
cases.
In view of this rather high figure I would again bring to
your notice, that with admission of children to the various blocks
no system of quarantine is possible, and I can trace with certainty,
many of our outbreaks of infection to new admissions.
The physical development of the children has progressed
along modern lines in uniformity with the vogue throughout the
country. Sports Day and the various physical culture displays
given from time to time, have amply exemplified the strides our
boys and girls have made. The P.T. Instructor and his
assistants are surely to be complimented in their sustained effort
to achieve the best possible results with the material at their
disposal.
The nursing staff continues in its untiring way to make the
children happy and comfortable. I have detected no slackness
of any description throughout a rather trying period, and the
well-being of the children and their clean trim appearance on all