[Report 1935] / School Medical Officer of Health, Cheshire County Council.

  • Cheshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1935
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1935] / School Medical Officer of Health, Cheshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/44 (page 17)
    During the year, 8,379 ailments were treated; of those, 7,998 were treated under the Authority’s Scheme and 381 otherwise. This shows a slight increase of Minor Ailments treated in 1935. Work of the Clinics. Before attending the Clinic for treatment the school child obtains from the teacher an attendance card. Immediately after treatment at the Clinic the Nurse in charge marks on this card the date, the exact time at which the child leaves the Clinic, and her initials. This ensures that the child has actually attended and will not linger unduly on the way back to school. Minor Ailment Treatment Clinics are held on school days usually from 9-30 to 11-30 a.m. or 1-30 to 3-30 p.m., tl.'ese times being chosen to allow attendance at school before treatment and return to school before the end of the morning or afternoon school session. A large variety of cases is dealt with, the more common being impetigo, septic sores, skin diseases, uncleanliness of heads, minor cuts, bruises, sprains, etc., chronic ear dis- charges, chronic blepharitis, and other eye ailments, etc. In addition, advice is given to parents and to teachers as to the necessity of obtaining medical advice, and when a child is found to be suffering from more than a minor ailment the Nurses make a point of seeing that the parents realise the nature of the illness and the necessity for medical attention. This is now especially important, as parents on unemploy- ment grants are reluctant to trouble their own or the Public Assistance doctor. On fixed days each month the Assistant School Medical Officers attend all day, when the following cases are dealt with: — 1. Cases whose complete examination at School Medical Inspection would have occupied more than the time allowed for Routine Inspection. 2. Cases brought forward by teacher or parent whose symptoms are so vague and indeterminate that further observation is necessary to decide whether medical treatment by their own doctor is necessary. 3. Cases of tonsils and adenoids whose selection for operation now involves more discrimination and re- examination than was formerly considered necessary.