[Report 1947] / School Medical Officer of Health, Cheshire County Council.

  • Cheshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / School Medical Officer of Health, Cheshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/22 (page 4)
    Four of the Assistant Medical Officers were sent by the Committee to the course of instruction on Educationally Sub- Normal Children and Mental Deficiency. Knowledge of the measurement of intelligence is an essential part of the equip- ment of a School Medical Officer, particularly the means of ascertainment as to whether a child is educable or not and whether an ordinary or a Special School is required. A welcome addition to the accommodation available for Handicapped Children was provided by the opening of the Colthurst House School at the David Lewis Colony for Epileptics. It has been much easier to secure vacancies for the special education of Epileptic Children who are not Educa- tionally Sub-Normal. The Special Residential School for Educationally Sub- Normal Children at the Mary Dendy Homes has'been kept fully attended during the year. Further provision of educa- tional facilities for this class of pupil is required. Attention is drawn to the section of this report dealing with the School Dental Services and especially to the high percentage (79 per cent.) of pupils who, requiring dental treatment, receive it through the County Dental Scheme. This percentage does not include pupils who obtain the necessary- dental treatment through private dentists. Members of the Committee will be gratified to learn that the efforts of the Dental Staff towards the preservation of teeth rather than extraction are meeting with a good response from parents and pupils. It will be noticed that figures are given in the statistical portion of this report regarding the general physical condition of school children. These take the place of nutritional standards which were given in previous years. The National Health Service Act, by abolishing the Autonomous Maternity and Child Welfare Authorities and extending the scope of the County Council’s functions in preventive and social medicine, prepares the way for a com- prehensive scheme of Divisional Administration, with a view to a complete integration of the Public Health and Medical Services/ This is being done by the appointment of the full- time Medical Officers of Health as Divisional Medical Officers and Divisional School Medical Officers, charged with the responsibilities of the local administration of the County Council’s Health Services under both the County Health and County Education Committees. I wish to acknowledge the help and co-operation which I have invariably received from members of the Education Committee, the Director of Education, the County Architect, the Teachers at the various Schools, and all the Staff of the School Medical Department. Your obedient servant, 4th October, 1948. ARNOLD BROWN, Chief School Medical Officer.