London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kingston upon Thames 1937

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]

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64
In addition thirty-seven undernourished children who
attend ordinary Elementary Schools were recommended by
the School Medical Officer for milk at School.
Milk has been provided for these children, the cost
in certain instances being met by the parents, while for
forty-nine attending ordinary Elementary Schools the milk
has been supplied free, the cost being met from voluntary
sources.
(b) Uncleanliness.
The School Nurses inspect all children in the schools
within a fortnight after the holiday period, and afterwards
at regular intervals.
On discovery that a child has an unclean head, a School
Nurse sends the child home with a notice to the parent
calling attention to the fact with instructions for the child
to report at the Clinic on the following morning.
If the verminous condition is not remedied forthwith,
the child is brought before the School Medical Officer, who
excludes her from School, when the Education Secretary
sends a warning letter to the parent, stating that unless the
child reports clean within seven days, legal proceedings
will be taken for contravention of the School Attendance
Bye-laws.
There is no doubt that the only way to cure verminous
heads is by frequent and regular inspection by the School
Nurses of every scholar in the Schools.
It is gratifying to note that there has been a very
marked improvement in the standard of cleanliness during
the past ten years due to the persistent and tactful work
of the School Nurses in this somewhat unsavoury duty.
Parents are advised to have their girls' hair kept short
during School life.
Legal proceedings were taken under the School
Attendance Bye-Laws in twelve cases during the year, resulting
in lines being imposed in nine instances.
(c) Minor ailments and diseases of the skin.
The number of minor ailments has remained fairly
constant in recent years.
There were only two cases of ringworm of the scalp.