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In addition 599 school children attended one of the Council's chiropody
clinics - mainly for the treatment of plantar warts.
School children made a total of 629 attendances at the two bathing centres,
324 children attended for vermin and nits, and 181 for scabies.
HEALTH SURVEYS
The school nurse makes regular health surveys at her schools. They may
be comprehensive, in which case all the children in a class are inspected, or
selective, when only a smaller number of selected children are seen. At all
surveys the nurse examines the child not only for cleanliness of the head, but
also for other aspects, e.g. squint, ear discharge, nutritional state. Where
necessary the child is referred for further investigation or treatment.
The school nurse also undertakes communicable disease surveys for particular
conditions such as plantar warts or athletes foot.
The figures for the year are set out below:-
Number examined at comprehensive surveys 23,776
Percentage found verminous 1.5
Number examined at selective surveys 6,485
Percentage found verminous 3.25
Number of individual pupils found verminous 430
Number referred to a bathing centre 176
INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN SCHOOLS
Only two incidents of tuberculosis were reported, one a teacher and the
other a pupil. After careful investigation in neither school was it felt that
any further action was necessary. The programme of BCG vaccination of
susceptible school children in their thirteenth year continued during the year.
The small outbreak of ringworm reported in 1969 was finally brought under
control early in 1970.
As mentioned previously in the report, Rubella vaccination for girls
in their fourteenth year was commenced towards the end of the year. The
vaccinations were carried out with the co-operation of the Inner London
Education Authority. Talks explaining the importance of being vaccinated
against Rubella were given to schoolgirls by health visitors.
HEALTH EDUCATION
A number of health visitors take classes in the Borough and posters,
leaflets and other relevant information is supplied to teachers who are carrying
out health education in schools.
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE
This service so far as this Borough is concerned commenced in 1967 at the
London School of Furniture and ceased when this college moved to Tower Hamlets
during 1970. No other colleges are participating.