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During the year the Chief Assistant School Medical Officer made six visits to the
school for the purpose of reinspeeting the pupils and carrying out Immunisations,
I have again to report that It has been difficult to ascertain as "delicate" a
sufficient number of pupils to maintain the school at its full complement; this again
particularly applied to girls. There are several reasons that may possibly account for
this happy state of affairs. The physical condition of the children has improved. It
is most significant that of suspected cases of malnutrition referred to the paediatrician
for Investigation no frank eases have been confirmed since 19^9. The provision of milk
and meals in schools, a slow but gradually improving housing position, and a rising
standard of living all help to improve the health of the child. Bearing these points in
mind and with a fuller appreciation in the ordinary schools of the varying needs of
individual children, the time is coming when there will be little need for open-air
schools for "delicate" children. Our new schools can offer facilities similar to those
found in open-air schools and there may not be much physical advantage in a transfer.
It has always been necessary to send a certain number of children to residential openair
schools and it Is significant that whereas formerly there were long waiting lists
for these schools now there are vacancies. Residential school accommodation will always
be required for a certain number of pupils who are severely handicapped - namely those
suffering from asthma, bronchitis, chronic upper respiratory catarrh and the like.
NURSERY SCHOOIS
The Authority has four Nursery schools; two, the Edith Kerrison and the Rebecca
Cheetham, of long duration; and two, Osborne Road and Station Street - previously Day
Nurseries, of short duration. Children in attendance are examined quarterly and the
results are set out below;-
Number examined Number found to Percentage found to
require treatment require treatment
616 19 3.08
When the children were examined for the first time during the year, their general
condition, using the Ministry of Education classification, was assessed as followsj-
Number examined Good Percentage Fair Percentage Poor Percentage
187 60 32.09 124 66.31 3 1.60
The percentage of poor general condition of these children corresponds with the
reduction noted in connection with periodic inspections in primary and secondary schools
during the past few years. It is interesting to note that this low percentage fits in
with the findings at the special toddlers clinics given on page 45.
The defects which are most frequently found at the medical inspections are bronchitis
and upper respiratory catarrh, nose and throat conditions, and minor orthopaedic defects.
The great importance of medical supervision of nursery schools lies In the opportunity to
detect the earliest beginnings of disease at a stage when remedial measures are comparatively
easy to apply and may prevent the development of more serious trouble. The aim of nursery
education is to footer by means of carefully planned educational methods the fullest
possible development of a child in body, mind and spirit between the ages of two and five.
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