[Report 1970] / School Medical Officer of Health, Wigan County Borough.

  • Wigan (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / School Medical Officer of Health, Wigan County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    many cases, particularly of Whooping Cough, go unrecorded on account of the difficulty of diagnosis and especially when the disease is modified by previous immunisation which has not been completed. Infective Jaundice, because of its striking symptomology, is reliably notified. The total of 41 cases is less than in the previous year, but the disease smoulders on in some primary schools. Attention to personal and environmental hygiene in the schools so affected is the key to preventing the spread to epidemic propor¬ tions. The ‘drug’ scene in Wigan Schools has given cause for concern from time to time as isolated instances of “experimentation” are reported, usually anonymously. Members of the medical staff are always available to advise upon these matters and at the close of the year, arrangements were in hand to hold a symposium for the benefit of head teachers and other staff in contact with adolescents It is difficult to draw the balance between over- publicising an evil which as yet has been no real problem in the town, and neglecting properly to warn youngsters of the dangers of associating with ‘experimenters*. The ‘pushers’ deserve no sympathy and can be left for the law to deal with. In this town, the dependency on tobacco, particularly in the form of cigarettes, will in the long run cause more damage to health than more exotic drugs. I am convinced that the key to the prevention of tobacco addiction in the young is parental example.. If the house is filled with cigar¬ ette smoke for sixteen hours a day is it any wonder that the offspring take to the habit in sheer self defence. If in addition to this they see their teachers and other idols smoking they are indeed lost. The Pricipal School Dental Officer has reported upon his staffing difficulties, which in the present climate of uncertainty and pecuniary differ¬ ential are not likely to be solved in permanent fashion. The shortfall of professional time makes it all the more important that children should be encouraged to keep their appointments, yet almost a quarter fail to notify their inability to attend in sufficient time for alternative appointments to be given. Dental Health Education was pursued with vigour, the aim being to instil into the younger children a good oral hygiene routine, and to introduce them to the dentist in situations other than the more usual traumatic con¬ frontation when neglect necessitates emergency operative treatment with its attendant discomforts. As in previous years, we have worked closely with the consultants and staff of the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, and I thank them for their help and co-operation. Our work would be impossible without the goodwill of the general practitioners and dental surgeons and for their continued support I thank them My thanks are also due to the Chief Education Officer and his staff for their co-operation, the staff of the Health Department for the work they have performed and the Chairman and Members of the Schools Sub-committee for the interest shown. J. HAWORTH HILDITCH, Principal School Medical Officer.