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Three cases attended the school clinic from private schools
in the district, and were referred to the X-ray operator, the whole
of the fees being paid by the parents of the children concerned.
7. Following up.—This has been put on a satisfactory
basis during the past year. The parent of every child who at
school was found to be suffering from a physical defect, receives
a printed notice from this department. The parent is visited
within six months by a school nurse in order to see if the treatment
recommended has been carried out, and the child is examined
again at school by a doctor to see if such treatment has
been carried ouit in a satisfactory manner.
During 1920 729 home visits by the nurses were thus paid,
and 598 children were re-examined by the doctors at school. In
many cases the parents do not fully appreciate the necessity of
obtaining treatment, until after a visit has been paid by the
nurses to the home.
8. Medical Treatment.—
(a) Treatment of Minor Ailments.—A clinic is held at the
Public Health Department each morning at 9 o'clock. The
waiting-room and treatment accommodation has previously been
of a very limited and unsatisfactory character, and in the summer
of 1920 a new dark-room for the Oculist was built, the waiting-room
accommodation increased, and a room for the treatment
of minor ailments adapted for the purpose. A large number of
minor ailments, especially skin diseases, received treatment.
Records are kept, and certificates of exclusion from school or fitness
to attend are given. The children attending the school
clinic are :—
(1) Sent up by the Teachers.
(2) Brought by their parents.
(3) Referred from medical inspection at school.
(4) Referred by the school nurses as a result of "following up.''
(5) Referred by the school attendance officers.
The attendances at the Clinic during 1920 were as follows :—
Number of individual children seen at the Clinic 1,763
Number of attendances of children 7,125
Number of exclusion certificates granted 4,776
Number of certificates of fitness to attend school
granted 1,378