[Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, Isle of Man.

  • Isle of Man. Council.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, Isle of Man. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/28 (page 6)
    when they are admitted to school but by association with other children most of them improve without treatment. With regard to the orthoptic treatment of squint, it is not possible to report any success. The Education Authority has accepted responsibility for this form of treatment and has approved the appointment of a part-time Orthoptist. How- ever, it has been impossible to fill the new vacancy which has been created, it would appear that on the mainland there are more vacancies than Orthoptists and that all are employed in a full time capacity. The condition of the School Clinic in Tynwald Street has been mentioned in previous reports and is in danger of becoming a “ hardy annual ”. The Medical Officer of Health in his report for 1950 referred to it as “ a gloomy disgrace ” and the consensus of medical opinion has condemned the building as both inadequate and unsuitable—public opinion has yet to be heard. Its defects and limitations cannot be fully appreciated at a single visit. Only by frequent visits, particularly when a Specialist’s session is in progress, can it be realised how unsatisfactory the building is. This clinic is the headquarters of the School Health Service and houses the principal consultation and treatment clinics as well as the entire medical records. Here the Clerical Staff must work side by side with the Medical and Nursing Staff. An examination of previous annual reports will show how the scope of the School Health Service has widened over the years and how' the volume of work has increased. A building which may have been adequate in 1923 when the service was first introduced on the Island is certainly not so in 1953. Re-decoration improves the external appearance for a short time but before long the building resumes its gloomy aspect. The principal defects lie in the plan of the building itself and these could only be overcome by extensive and costly structural alterations. Before any attempt is made to effect improvement in the accommodation, it is suggested that expert medical and architectural opinions should be sought. Her Majesty’s Inspectors visit the schools twice a year and perhaps the unbiased opinion of the Special Services Branch of the Ministry of Education would ensure that any decision to spend money on alterations to this clinic would be an economic and sound proposition. SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION AND HYGIENE. I am grateful to the Works Inspector for the following report:—- “ During 1953 the following schools were painted externally :— Douglas High School for Girls (Park Road Section), Braddan School and House, Kewaigue School and House. Peel Youth Centre, Andreas Old Parochial School and House, St. Judes School and Bride School. The following were painted internally, wholly or in part, during the Christmas Vacation :—Ramsey Grammar School (Junior Department), Andreas School, Castle Rushen High School, Murray’s Road School. Water borne sanitation (septic tank system) was installed at Sulby School, and a complete modernisation of the sanitary conveniences at Rushen Primary School was completed. Re-levelling and re-surfacing of the infants’ playground at Albert Road School and of the playground at Andreas School was completed, along with maintenance (e.g. spraying) of the playgrounds at Ballakermeen. All heating apparatus was maintained in satisfactory condition, and by an alteration in the circuits the heating at Murray’s Road School was considerably improved. A new boiler was installed at Foxdale School. Extensive repairs were carried out at St. John’s School House.” MEDICAL INSPECTION. The total number of periodic examinations carried out was 2,810 an increase of 222 compared with the previous year. The number of children examined when they entered school at the age of five years diminished by 45 but all other age groups showed an increase over 1952. The eight-year-old