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The number of organised school parties taking children abroad
is steadily increasing. The most notable trip daring 1966 was a
Mediterranean cruise, calling at Venice, Alexandria, Malta and Gibraltar,
on the s.s. Nevasa, on which 80 children from three schools were accompanied
by staff.
In order to protect the children against various diseases
prevalent in the countries visited, the school health service ensured
that they had all received smallpox vaccination and other inoculations
deemed necessary, before departure.
Vaccination against Tuberculosis
During April information was received that a pupil at a
secondary school had been diagnosed as suffering from primary tuberculosis.
On enquiry it was found that she had been in poor health and that infection
of contacts was a possibility.
In view of this a survey was carried out at the school. This
entailed arranging for the teaching staff to have chest X-rays and all
pupils who had not previously taken part in the routine B.C.G. procedure
to have a Mantoux (skin) test. No further cases came to light as a
result of this survey.
Altogether during the year three school children were notified
by the chest clinic as positive cases.
The scheme for the routine B.C.G. (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin)
vaccination of school children between their thirteenth and fourteenth
birthdays continued during the year under review. Pulmonary tuberculosis
is steadily being brought under control by early diagnosis and rapid and
efficient treatment. The following table summarises the work undertaken: