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10
The Oculist has one session weekly, and the Dentist has six, one of which
is given to extraction under gas.
Routine medical inspection is carried out on the school premises and three
different age groups are called up for inspection: (i) Entrants—all children
who have not been inspected since entering the school, (2) Leavers—that is,
children who have arrived at the age of 12 years, and (3) an intermediate group,
those between the ages of eight and nine years.
Parents are duly informed and are invited to be present; their attendances
naturally is greatest in the youngest group, namely 82 per cent.; it was 58 per
cent, in the intermediate group and 37 per cent, in the leavers.
The number of parents objecting to the examination was two
As would be expected, the number of children who would be found unfit
at this routine inspection and require exclusion from school would be very few.
They numbered six in all, the causes of their unfitness being:—
German measles ... ... ... 1
Body vermin ... .. ... 1
Tonsillitis ... ... ... 2
Febrile condition ... ...- ... 2
At the time of routine medical inspection, the Head Teachers are able to
bring before the Doctor any child whom they suspect to be suffering from any
ailment or defect. These are called " Specials," a term which includes all
children other than those inspected at the appropriate age groups—for instance,
those sent to the school clinic by parent, teacher or attendance officer. This
definition of "Special" is necessary when interpreting Tables I and II.
It is thus seen that every child ought to be examined three times during
its school career; at other times it can be seen when the doctor is on the school
premises, or can be sent to the school clinic.
Doubtful infectious diseases are sent to the Town Hall to be seen by the
School Medical Officer—this to obviate mixing with other children. That this
is very necessary is shewn by the fact that I recently saw in one morning a
case of diphtheria, a case of measles and a case of chicken-pox !
Re-inspection of children found to be defective is carried out usually about
three months later. The names of all children with defects, whether for
treatment or for observation, are entered into a special book—one for each
school, and which is kept on the school premises. In the same book are