[Report 1929] / School Medical Officer of Health, Scarborough.

  • Scarborough (England). Council.
Date:
1929
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1929] / School Medical Officer of Health, Scarborough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Further special examinations during the year were as follows :— For Graham Sea Training School ... ... ... 28 For Nautical Scholarships ... ... ... ... 31 Pupil Teachers as to fitness for Training College ... — The examinations for employment of school children under the Bye-laws are referred to elsewhere in the Report. FINDINGS OF MEDICAL INSPECTIONS AND MEANS AVAILABLE FOR TREATMENT OF DEFECTS. UNCLEANLINESS. Sixteen children at the Routine Medical Inspections and Special Inspections were found to be in an unclean condition of the head or body. This number is small and it is comparatively rare to find a child in the schools in a really unclean or verminous condition. In Group V., it will be seen that, as a result of the nurse’s school visits for detection of uncleanliness 526 children were found to be in this condition. The uncleanliness in the great majority of these cases was of a mild degree, as will be seen from the fact that only seventeen children were cleansed under the Authority’s scheme. When a child is found to be unclean, the parent is notified and advised as to what steps should be taken. If necessary, and if the parents consent, the cleansing is carried out at the School Clinic by the nurses. There was no case of scabies detected. MINOR AILMENTS. A classification of the minor ailments treated is given in Table IV., at the end of the Report. It will be seen that there were forty cases of ringworm of the scalp and body. This compares favourably with the preceedmg year, although the number is still too high. In 1927 there were 78 cases, and in 1928, 57. X-ray treatment is now available for ringworm of the scalp. Ten children received this treatment and the absence from school averaged 8-9 weeks. The longest period of absence was 14 weeks, and the shortest 3 weeks. This is a great improvement on the old method where children were generally off school for many months. Ringworm of the body is not such a serious complaint and does not entail long absence from school. IMPETIGO. This is one of the most common of skin diseases, and 255 cases were treated at the Clinic during the year. These children are frequently found to be below par, and require general, as well as local treatment. The disease is fortunately, easily cured, and even in severe cases does not necessitate absence from school for any length of time.