[Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Tynemouth County Borough.

  • Tynemouth (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Tynemouth County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    closely correspond to the results obtained with much larger numbers in neighbouring areas of the Tyne valley. They show, surprisingly, that some 80% of children in their fourteenth year have no adequate natural immunity against tuberculosis. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that the children of today, unlike those of a generation ago, are less exposed to open infection; and, in an industrial area, this is a satisfactory reflection upon the better control of this disease and the higher standard of living. Year Total skin tested Positive Reaction . Negative Reaction % requiring B.C.G. Protection 1958 70 13 57 81.43 School Meals and Milk. During 1958, one-day returns showing the number of children having school dinners and milk were taken on a specified day in October. The total number taking meals was 2,790 of which 408 were free of charge, the former figure being 26.15% of the school roll. The percentage taking school milk was 82.81. The price of school meals has remained at l/-d. per meal. During the autumn term there was a steady increase in the number of children taking school dinners, numbers varying from 3,000 to 3,300 daily. The shortage of potatoes during April, May and June, and the subsequent high price created difficulties, and supplies of potatoes to schools had to be reduced. As a result, potatoes were replaced by more pastry and dumplings, etc. Due to the high cost of soft fruit, only rhubarb was bottled this year. The kitchen at St. Anselm’s R.C. Secondary Modern School was completed at the beginning of December, and staff were appointed, and the kitchen prepared for occupa¬ tion at the end of the autumn term, in order that meals could be produced at the commencement of the spring term. During the coming year the adaptation of a classroom into a scullery at Murton County Primary School will improve facilities there, and it is hoped to construct sculleries at Spring Gardens Junior and Infant Schools, and Western Infants School. Medical Inspections. A periodic medical inspection of children in the follow¬ ing age groups was carried out in each school. (a) ENTRANTS—children in their first year of atten¬ dance at a maintained primary infant school. (b) INTERMEDIATES—children in the last year of