[Report 1961] / School Medical Officer of Health, West Bromwich.

  • West Bromwich (England). Council.
Date:
1961
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1961] / School Medical Officer of Health, West Bromwich. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/80 (page 7)
    The school dental service during the year has, I fear, still been mainly one for dental emergencies and casualties. The most alarming fact in the field of infectious diseases was the outbreak of poliomyelitis in the spring. This was un¬ expected and resulted in no less than 13 cases, all in children (4 were in children of school age). None of these children had received a full course of vaccination against the disease. The fact that so many cases occurred in young children is most interesting. It is, of course, simpler to have a high measure of protection among the school population because of the ease with which vaccination can be given to children whilst they are at school in comparison with the younger age group who have to be brought up to a clinic or doctor. The main lesson of the polio¬ myelitis outbreak is, of course, the further emphasis of the necessity for early and adequate vaccination against this disease and it is to be hoped that the advent of the oral polio vaccine will strengthen still further the protection by its ease of administration. However, until the greater part of the child population is adequately protected we can expect to see cases of poliomyelitis occurring in children in the borough. The report of the Educational Psychologist has been included in a slightly different form this year so that it can be published separately for circulation to persons with an interest in this field only. I must record my thanks to Mr. Kelly for his co-operation and help throughout the year. My thanks over so many matters are due to the Director of Education and his staff, including the teaching staff of the schools, the staff of the School Health Service itself and, of course, the Special Services Sub-Committee of the Education Committee for their great interest in the School Health Service and the help and consideration that has always been given to the problems which from time to time have arisen during the course of the year. n a nD > Principal School Medical Officer April, 1962.