[Report 1938] / School Medical Officer of Health, Wiltshire County Council.

  • Wiltshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1938] / School Medical Officer of Health, Wiltshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/52 (page 43)
    Feeding of Ill-Nourished Children. Of the children examined under the main age groups, 27.4 per cent, were classed as being of excellent nutrition, 62.1 per cent, as normal, 8.8 per cent, as slightly subnormal, and 1.7 per cent, as bad. The corresponding figures for 1937 were 25 per cent., 63 per cent., 9 per cent., and 2 per cent. It will thus be seen that only 10.5 per cent, of the scholars exam¬ ined during the year were below normal in this respect as against 11 per cent, in the previous year. The actual number of children found to require treatment was 40, but there are others who have been kept under observation from previous years on account of malnutrition but are not included in the above figures as they do not come within the age groups for routine examination. As in the case of the Elementary Schools, cod liver oil and milk are provided free for under-nourished children whose parents are unable to afford the cost themselves, and gratuitous supplies of cod liver oil were arranged for 14 and milk for 16. Of these 8 had both milk and cod liver oil. Supply of Milk. The Milk in Schools Scheme, to which reference is made on page 20, applies also to Secondary Schools, and supplies of milk are now available at all 10 schools. Approximately 850 children are having milk daily. Provision of Meals. See pages 20 and 26-29 of the Report. Uncleanliness. No case of uncleanliness calling for attention was reported during the year. Goitre. Two new cases were reported during the year, but no treatment was recommended. One child reported previously continued to receive treatment under the Committee’s arrangements. Co-operation with Teaching Staffs. Again I have pleasure in acknowledging the help which the teaching staffs of the Secondary schools have always given in all matters connected with the health of the children. Their ready co-operation has done much to simplify our arrangements for medical inspection and dental treatment during the year.