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83
As yet there is not sufficient information to justify any
exact conclusion as to the amount of disease and physical
defect that will he found amongst the scholars. Many of the
minor defects, such as dirty and verminous heads, can be remedied
by cleanliness and care without seeking medical advice,
and probably will be remedied when once the attention of the
parents is drawn to the matter by the School Medical Officer,
On the other hand it is already evident that many children
require their teeth attending to by a dentist, others their errors
of vision corrected by glasses, and others again a systematic
treatment for ringworm.
The provision of medical treatment for these children can
best be considered from the standpoint of the means of the
parents, viz.:—
a. Those who can provide the requisite treatment at their
own expense.
b. At the other extreme, those who seek Poor Law
relief.
c. Those who are socially between a and b; i.e.: those
who cannot afford the ordinary fees of a medical or dental
practitioner.
It is to the class c only that any scheme eventually formulated
by the Education Authority should apply.