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32
father absurd situation results that, although the Sanitary Department
continues to afford to schools and school teachers such
information as is possible as to children suffering from notifiable
disorders, yet the Medical Officer of Health, who alone can, by
reporting to his Authority, secure the compulsory closing, in time
of need, of public elementary schools, has practically no regular
source of information as to the health of scholars other than the
reports in the public press of the quarterly meeting of local school
attendance committees. I am strongly of opinion, that in the
interests of public health and education, as well as financial
economy, advantage should be taken of the local knowledge of
Medical Officers of Health, and that they should have, in respect
to these questions, powers and duties recognized by Education
Committees, co-ordinated it may be with or controlled by the
County Education Medical Officer, whether he be the County
Medical Officer of Health, or an Officer specially appointed.
This is the position adopted successfully in many counties,
and is, of course, in principle that taken up by practically every
Local Authority which is also an Education Authority.
Unless some such scheme be adopted it becomes a matter
of necessity that a medical staff of some magnitude should be
appointed to act under the County Education Medical Officer.
That the appointment of such a special staff is a matter
wasteful both financially and physically is fully obvious.
That the officer specially appointed to advise a local sanitary
authority on, amongst other subjects, the control of infectious
disease and the necessity for hospital accommodation, should have,
in regard to elementary schools, absolutely no recognised powers or
duties other than the ability to recommend, on belated information,
the closing of a school or schools, seems almost ludicrous when it is
remembered that more than 90 per cent, of the cases entering