[Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, Aldershot U.D.C.
- Aldershot (England). Urban District Council.
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, Aldershot U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![l^ven a certain |)r()portion of the present mortality is undoubtedly pre\entable, and a campaign against it would jiot only have the effect of still further reducing it, but, and this is perhaps more important, would, it is to be ho[)ed, have some effect in the direction of imj)rovement of the (pialitN' of the coming generation, so that the s[)ectacle of under-sized, weedy chihlren, which is unfortunately so ])rominent a feature iu the State Schools, would become less common. And in this connection it has to be borne in mind tliat, with the general birth rate falling every vear, and with no })rospect whatever of a change, it becomes increasingly imjxwtant to secure that those who are born to the State should be saved to the State, and should be so brought up that they may be efficient citizens. In my School Report for igo8 I drew special attention to the imperative necessity that exists for a School Nurse to visit and follow up, under the direction of the Medical Officer, the large number of cases of minor physical defects which come under the notice of the School Medical Ollicer. It appears to me that the appointment of a Woman Health \hsitor could be cudvantageously combined with that of a School Nurse. Much may be done b}^ a tactful, intelligent woman with nursing qualifications, in the direction of help, advice and minor treatment in cases—far too many of which occur—in which proper treatment is ignored or delayed, sometimes from carelessness, often from poverty, and generally from ignorance. I think, therefore, that if such a combined appointment as I have described is carefully considered in connection with the adoption of the Notifi- cation of Ihrths Act, a double purpose will have been achieved, namely, an efficient instrument for making this Act a success, and for ameliorating, in great measure, the plivsical disabilities of the children in the schools. d'he adoj')tion of the Act would also be a great help to the Medical (Officer of Health in the supervision, of the midwives and in administering the Midwives’ Act. Still- births are common, but there are often grounds for be- lieving that they are not all notified under the Midwives' Act. 'file proposed new Act would help largely in checking the returns of the midwives, inasmuch as under its provisions still-births have, under penalty, to be notified within thirty-six hours. I am, (ientlemen. Your obedient servant, Ik \Y Routley.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29524751_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
