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74
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE.
Nutrition.
The summary of heights and weights over 10 years which is printed at
the end of this Report in Table VIIA. and B. shows no appreciable change.
Incidence of Pediculosis and Scabies.
(i) Pediculosis.—4 children were found to be infected with living
hair vermin as against 7 in 1955, 4 in 1954, 5 in 1953, 13 in 1952, 7 in
1951 and 5 in 1950.
(ii) Scabies.—There were two cases reported during the year, as compared
with 1 in 1955, none in 1954, 1953 and 1952, and 1 in 1951.—
School Premises.—There are 35 schools, with 64 departments, 24,018
children were actually on the rolls on 20th December, 1956, as compared
with 24,173 in December, 1955.
The figure 24,018 includes Barking Abbey (398) and Ursuline County
Placed pupils (327).
The number of children in average attendance at school for the year
ended 19th December, 1956 = 22,124.
The Public Health Inspectors have paid the usual monthly visits to the
maintained schools (1) to enquire as to the milk supplies, (2) to inspect the
sanitary arrangements. 1,172 visits have been made during the year.
Medical Inspection.—As from the 4th August, 1953, the medical
inspection has been in accordance with the School Health Service and
Handicapped Pupils Regulations, 1953.
During 1956, 5,802 parents, or 80 per cent., attended the full routine
medical inspections.
No schools were closed during the year on account of infectious
disease.
Table VI shows the incidence of infectious disease in the Ilford schools
during 1956.
6 home visits were paid by the School Nurses to cases of minor
infectious disease. In addition the Public Health Inspectors paid 291
visits to measles cases, and 190 visits to whooping-cough cases.
Following Up.—During 1956, 4,365 home visits by the School Nurses
were paid for the purpose, and 3,225 re-examinations of children (some on
several occasions) were carried out by the doctors at school; 175 visits to
schools were made for this purpose alone, and other children were seen at
the visits for routine medical inspection.