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and in Birmingham and Manchester. All those who joined were
X-rayed and skin-tested at school, and some were given the vaccine.
The last of the volunteers to enter the Trial left school in the
Summer of 1952, and all are now being followed up to determine
the value of the vaccine. The home of each young person concerned
is visited twice a year by a Health Visitor who answers questions
about the scheme, encourages the volunteer to continue to attend
for examination, and records the data essential to the investigation.
As in previous years this important work has been successfully
carried out by the nurses, who deserve every credit for the excellent
way in which the work has been done.
It is hoped to X-ray all those taking part once a year, and
in 1953 the Mass Radiography Unit visited West Avenue Clinic
in October. The group invited were those who left school at
Easter and Summer of 1951. This was their second annual reexamination,
and 77% of those invited returned. This good figure
was of importance both from the point of view of the investigation
and also because it represented a great health safeguard to those
taking part. It is hoped to continue the high standard of co-operation
already set."
(b) Jelly Testing of School Children.
Routine tuberculin jelly testing takes place at school clinics.
In November the Committee agreed to authorise the examination,
by means of jelly testing, of children on their admission to
infants' schools subject to written parental consent being obtained.
Such a scheme had become possible following from the compulsory
pasteurisation of milk in the London area generally and to the
adequacy of facilities for X-ray examination at the Chest Clinic of
children found to be positive to the jelly test and of their home contacts.
Although primarily the scheme is for the purpose of case
finding, it would have the added advantage of bringing a child who
shows a positive patch test, under immediate supervision and further
treatment where indicated.
10. INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Non-notifiable diseases are usually brought to light by the
weekly returns made by Head Teachers under the local Regulations
as to Infectious Diseases in Schools.