[Report 1924] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council.

  • Dorset (England). County Council.
Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1924] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    DORSET COUNTY COUNCIL. Education Committee. Est. 500-3-25 Annual Report of the School Medical Officer J. E. ROBINSON, M.B., B.S. (Lond.', D.P.H. (Lond.), for the Year 1924. GENERAL. The number of Elementary Schools is 253, and there are 280 departments (year ended 31st Dec., 1924). The Average Attendance 1924 was 18,601. The School Medical Staff consists of the County Medical Officer and three whole-time Assistants, the latter giving about 75 per cent, of their time to School Medical duties. Treatment Staff.—This consists of a whole-time School Dentist and eight part-time County Oculists, and one part- time X-Ray Specialist for Ringworm Cases, also the three Assistant Medical Officers attend at Clinics to treat children with Minor Ailments. Nursing Staff (see under “ Following up.”) Visits.—The number of visits to schools and departments by the Medical Officers was 1,254. Of these visits 1,129 were made by the Assistant Medical Officers. The County School Medical Officer paid 125 visits for purposes of super- vision and administration. Cost of Medical Inspection and Treatment equals approxi- mately -|d. rate. The number of children examined and re-inspected was 10,164, and the number of children treated under the County Schemes was 2,357. MEDICAL INSPECTION. {a) Groups of Children examined— Entrants Intermediate Group (8-9) Children 12 years of age or upwards Children presented for special defects Re-inspections Number of Children with respect to whom directions were given. Directions were given to parents with respect to 1,165 children examined (excluding uncleanliness, defective clothing, etc.). (.b) The Board’s Schedule of Medical Inspection has always been used. (c) Provision is made for visiting the Schools twice yearly. The arrangements for inspections' are usualty satisfactory having regard to the accommodation available. The great majority of the Teachers give every assistance in connection with the inspections. Co-ordination with other Health Services, The three Assistant Medical Officers engaged in school inspection also act as Medical Officers of five of the Child Welfare Centres. The Nurses engaged in school work also act as Infant Visitors, and as Nurses at the Welfare Centres. Special cards are provided at the Centres for entering parti- culars of children under five years of age, and these will be available for the information of the School Medical Inspectors when the children reach School age. The School Nurses also act as Tuberculosis Health Visitors and some of them act as Dispensary Nurses. Children requiring Treatment. The number of children examined as Routines (i.e. as entrants, intermediates, and 12 years or upwards group) was 6,590. Of these 887 or 13.4 per cent, were referred for treatment. Of the 920 Specials examined 278 were referred for treatment. SCHOOL HYGIENE. The following matters are enquired into by the Medical Officers as opportunity offers or occasion arises :—Mid-day meal, strain from games, exercises, or outside employment, physical exercises, bad home conditions. Below is given a statement of the defects reported to the Education Committee by the School Medical Officer :-— Defects in warming were reported in 8 schools. ,, lighting ,, ventilation ,, ,, equipment .. ,, cleanliness ,, ,, closets ,, urinals ,, drainage ,, playgrounds ,, (surface and drainage) ,, water supply ,, roofs ,, windows 4 2 3 4 7 4 3 5 3 2