[Report 1961] / School Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough.

  • Oldham (England). County Borough Council. nb2004302054.
Date:
1961
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1961] / School Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Every precaution was taken and no serious complications arose. I wish to record the help that was received from the staff who travelled with the party and had the responsibility of these children during their holiday. The various defects found at the medical inspections and the arrange¬ ment for treatment are detailed in the body of the Report. The results of the school nurses’ examinations in connection with ‘uncleanliness’ must cause concern. It is disturbing to report that over 1,000 individual children were found to have some degree of infestation. It is true that the standard set by the staff is high and that the number of children found to be infested has fallen in recent years. Nevertheless, it is disappointing to record such a high figure, when housing and social conditions have so much improved over the years. The deaths among school children totalled 4. One death was the result of a road accident and one tragic case of suicide—a boy of 13 years. The remaining 2 deaths were due to medical causes, which are as yet unprevent- able. Both these children received skilled medical care. In previous reports I have commented on the health of our school children and the general absence of serious ill health and debilitating disease. I have reviewed yearly the deaths among school children. A summary of these would reveal a most interesting and encouraging feature and it is the inten¬ tion to publish a review of these deaths in a future report. This year on page 32 is given a table of the incidence of the chief notifiable diseases during the years 1936/1961. This shows the success that has been achieved. Measles still takes its toll but modern drugs have greatly reduced the damage and debility that results and deaths are few but usually among the infants of tender and early years. Whooping cough can and must be stamped out and i no school child should contract the disease. Poliomyelitis will soon be with us no longer and tuberculosis should cause little concern. A few cases of pulmonary disease continue to occur but these are usually detected in the early stage and permanent cure results. Dysentery will, I fear, continue to cause toil and trouble. Fortunately, it very rarely leaves the individual with any permanent ill effects. The provision for our handicapped pupils has always been the pride of the Committee and our special schools have given these children the educa¬ tion they so much need. This year some preliminary work which has been undertaken in connection with a group of partially deaf children is described. The staff of the Beever Special School for the Deaf and Partially Deaf are doing especially good work with the children who are their responsibility j and this year they have cause for very special satisfaction. One of their j pupils, a girl aged 11 years passed for admission to the Mary Hare Grammar School, Newbury, Berks, and commenced her studies there in September. This is the first pupil ever to be accepted for grammar school education. She attended the Beever Special School from the age of five years and was admitted from the area of the Lancashire County Council where she still : resides. I wish to record my thanks to all the staff for their loyal service during the year. My special thanks are due to Mr. D. Marshall, the Senior School 1 Health Service Clerk who has most ably assisted in the preparation of this j report. I also wish to thank the Chairman and members of the Ancillary Services Sub-Committee for their continuous help and encouragement, i Finally, I wish to record my appreciation and thanks to the Director of I Education and his staff and to the teachers for their generous help and : co-operation. I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, J. T. CHALMERS KEDDIE, Principal School Medical Officer.