[Report 1938] / School Medical Officer of Health, Scarborough.

  • Scarborough (England). Council.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1938] / School Medical Officer of Health, Scarborough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/36 (page 15)
    “ There were 66 cases in Scarborough enquired into affecting the welfare of 147 children (78 boys, 69 girls), involving 91 offenders or persons advised (47 males, 44 females). Eight of these cases were due to drink, involving 7 male offenders and 1 female. Thirteen of the children were illegitimate (9 boys, 4 girls). One hundred and forty-one of the children were related to the offenders or persons advised. Three of the 6 not related were at nurse. Classification of cases:— Neglect and Starvation . 25 Ill-treatment and Assault . 18 Advice Sought . 16 Other wrongs . 7 66 The above were dealt with as follows:— Warned by Officer. 48 Advised and helped . 16 Prosecuted and convicted . 2 In the two cases where proceedings had to be taken, the penalty of six weeks’ hard labour was inflicted. Four hundred and one supervisory visits were made to these homes to guard against relapse and a marked improvement was found in the majority. In addition, 120 miscellaneous visits of enquiry were made.” The Council of Social Welfare has provided cod liver oil and Maltoline in cases of malnutrition on the recommendation of the School Medical Officer. This Society also provides voluntary help for the running of the Orthopaedic Clinic. In addition to the help already mentioned, the Scarborough Amicable Society spent £135/9/11 on clothing and boots during the year. BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC CHILDREN. Table III. deals with this class of child, and these children are brought to the notice of the School Medical Officer by Plealth Visitors, School Nurses or the Attendance Officer visiting the homes. The Public Assistance Committee also reports cases under its care. Children with these defects who are able to attend school are notified by the teachers or are found during the Routine Medical Inspection. In this way, most of the cases are brought to light. Nineteen children are in attendance at the Special Class in Seamer Road. These children are “ incapable by reason of mental defect of receiving proper benefit from the instruction in the ordinary public Elementary Schools, but are not incapable by reason of that defect of receiving benefit from instruction in special schools for the mentally defective children.” Two mentally defective children are attending Elementary Schools, and 2 cases of fractured skull are under observation for the extent of mental changes. No arrangements exist for co-operation with any branch of the Central Association of Mental Welfare. Apart from this class, the Authority has no “ Special ” School. No arrangements are made for the higher education of blind, deaf, defective and epileptic students. There is no provision for dull and backward children, although it is desirable that some such special class should be available for juniors.