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To combat this social evil no one has done more than the school nurse, who is also
often the family health visitor, and interested school teachers have rendered invaluable
help. It is a thankless task, but any relaxation of vigilance would gradually give rise
to the former bad state of affairs. It must be difficult to keep children clean in
overcrowded, sub-standard houses, and much credit Is due to the mothers In that the majority
of children living under these conditions are clean.
Following Up.
This continues to be an important function of the School Health Service, and is
carried out by the school nurses and health visitors. Only the more important cases are,
however, followed up. The School Health Service frequently requires the nurse to visit the
children's homes to obtain reports of various kinds and this is welcomed as an excellent
opportunity of getting to know really intimately the families for whose welfare they are
concerned. Much valuable social work is carried out by the nurses by giving help and
guidance in a variety of ways to families needing it. Reports on home conditions chiefly
in cases of asthma, bronchitis and rheumatism required by hospital specialists are often
prepared by the school nurses following home visits. During the year the school nurses
paid 1,577 home visits in this way. This number includes 868 visits in connection with the
Medical Research Council's controlled B.C.G. trial with school leavers mentioned on page 114.
RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION
Only a brief statement will be made under this heading this year.
A joint committee of the Institute of Child Health (University of London), the
Society of Medical Officers of Health, and the Population Investigation Committee of the
London School of Economics have been following the health, growth and development of 6,000
children born in the first week of March, 1946. These are drawn from all social classes and
from all parts of England and Wales. Certain findings were included in the report for 1955.
It is hoped to keep the children in the survey until the end of the Primary school period.
The joint committee have stated "Such an opportunity to study growth is unique, and we are
confident that the importance of the results for child health will justify the amount of
work involved in carrying out the survey" and have recorded their gratitude to the health
visitors and school nurses for the work they have done.
During 1952 and 1953 the medical officers carried out 25 and 21 survey examinations
respectively, but none has been carried out since. The number of reports completed by the
school nurses during 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955 were 25, 68, 24 and 23 respectively. No
reports were made in 1956. A review by medical officers and school nurses should have taken
place in October, 1956, but some areas requested that the review should be postponed until
January, 1957: therefore no examinations were carried out by medical officers and no visits
undertaken this year.
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