Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The parents of these little ones are keen enough to attend for
extractions of any aching teeth, especially where the family rest
is disturbed at night, but at present it is still difficult to persuade
them of the importance of preserving the baby teeth by conservative
measures, and also that the retention of deciduous dentition
for its allotted time in a healthy condition has an important bearing
on the eruption of the permanent dentition and all the manifold
abnormalities which do occur as a result of the early loss of
the temporary teeth.
I should like to express my thanks to Miss Bowen for her
very kind help and co-operation with the children and parents."
I am indebted to Miss Bowen for an account on the daily
routine of the above School.
"The children begin to arrive at 8.30 a.m., and are greeted at
the door with a view to ensuring that no "unfit" child is admitted.
Then attention is given to personal hygiene, the cleaning of teeth,
etc.
The children attend to domestic duties, and prepare for morning
milk, which is taken with rusks at 9.30. Certain children have
in addition, cod liver oil, or cod liver oil and malt upon the recommendation
of the School Medical Officer.
Morning songs of greeting, occupation with sense-training
and creative materials, music, and free play in the spacious garden
fill the morning until the children come in hungrv and dirty to
prepare for dinner.
Hands and faces are washed, hair combed and tables laid,
and at 12 o'clock dinner is served.
Especial care and attention are given to the use of lavatories
and blowing of noses before the children go to bed, so that their
sleep may be deep and healthy.
At half-past two the children get up and go out into the garden.
A story, or music, and the afternoon fruit bring the day to
an end, and the mothers begin to come at 4.15 to take their children
home."
The Edith Kerrison Nursery School.
Dr. Furniss reports:—
"The Edith Kerrison Nursery School has now completed its
fourth year. During the year 1934 four quarterly medical inspections
were carried out.
The following report relates to the finding at these inspections:-
Examinations | Boys examined | Girls examined | Total | Parents present | Number Defective | Percentage of Defects |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March | 41 | 58 | 99 | 84 | 20 | 20.2 |
June | 48 | 68 | 116 | 96 | 13 | 11.2 |
September | 45 | 60 | 105 | 76 | 14 | 13.3 |
December | 50 | 59 | 109 | 93 | 24 | 22.0 |