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75
Miss Richards, Head Teacher, contributes the following report:—
“As far as infectious disease is concerned, there is very little
to record, with the exception of an outbreak of diarrhoea which
occurred in June. No less than 24 children actually attending the
Nursery School were affected with diarrhoea, and to prevent a
widespread occurrence of dysentery the school was closed during
a short period—June 25th to July 12th—and in the meanwhile the
building was completely disinfected and cleaned, and the outside
repainted.
“On the re-opening of the school certain precautionary measures
were introduced with a view to preventing any further outbreak.
“Fortunately, no further cases of dysentery have occurred since
the re-opening of the school, and all those children in attendance
are in good health.
"At the October examination Dr. Clarke, while she commented
upon the children's good health, was impressed by the poor muscular
development of some of the children in spite of the opportunities
for free activity which are provided in the Nursery School, and
advised that the opinion of Miss Hawkes, Physical Training
Organiser, be obtained.
"Alongside this criticism came one from the Dietitian, Miss
Reading, who expressed the opinion that the menu in use at the
school was not suitable on the following grounds:—
"(a) There was an insufficiency of protein to counteract the
excess of starchy foods which are given to the children at
home (e.g., bread, potato, sweets).
“(b) The food as a whole was too sloppy—too much gravy being
served with the food, which was too finely minced, giving
insufficient opportunity for encouraging mastication.
"(c) Too much starch being given (combined with the amount
received at home). Too much sugar in cooking, too much
potato and too much cereal in milk puddings."
The dietitian recommended that more milk be given in its
natural state without the addition of cereals. The Medical Officer
also recommended that the children be given more milk to drink,
so that every child has l-3rd pint bottle of milk three times a day
(making a total consumption of a pint per child per day apart from
any milk used in cooking).
Following Miss Reading's criticism, a new menu (on a
fortnightly basis) was compiled by her and came into force two or
three weeks before Christmas.