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

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

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

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

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    Their services have been used extensively and very advantageously m the investiga¬ tion of infectious diseases, and in connection with the recent scheme for the provision o milk to school children. The good record regarding cleanliness and other similar matters in this County has been largely secured through the patient, knowledgeable, and kindly advice and services of these School Nurses, and it is a pleasure for me to report to you on the efficient and thorough way in which they carry out their work. In 1935, the School Nurses made an average of 3.7 routine visits to each school for the purpose of cleanliness inspections, and they made a total number of examinations of 28,145. CO-OPERATION OF PARENTS AND HEAD TEACHERS. Greater interest in the Service is growing steadily among the parents of this County, and with it there grows a greater trust in the facilities which the Service has to otter. Year by year the knowledge of the general population on the aims and objects of School Medical Inspection is becoming greater, but there still remains a good deal to be done in this respect. As I have said before, it is rare nowadays to encounter any opposition to the work, but I would be more pleased still if many more parents attended the medical inspection of their children and took a more active part m the working of the Service. I can only repeat that the attendance of parents at medical inspections is a happening which is welcomed and which contributes materially to the success or the scheme. Once again I point out that the School Service, and particularly its Dental Depart¬ ment, makes little headway unless it possesses the goodwill and ready assistance of Head and other teachers. It is my privilege to acknowledge again gratefully and sincerely a the help which has been given to my Department by the members of the County teaching staffs I am well aware that the School Medical Service imposes additional work on the teachers, although I endeavour to limit this burden in every way that is possible; more than this, I am well aware that apart from the routine work which the teachers' do for the service there is a mass of entirely voluntary work done by them in the interest of their children. Rest of all, I know that the teachers of this County do all these things tor their children cheerfully and willingly ?.nd without a thought of defined duties. CO-OPERATION OF VOLUNTARY BODIES AND AGENCIES. It is my privilege and pleasure to report that during the year the Department has worked in complete co-operation with the various public and private sections of medical practice in West Suffolk. I offer my thanks to the administrative and clinical staff of the Voluntary Hospitals within and without the County and to the medical practitioners throughout the area. In particular, I wish to thank once again the Management Committee and all members of the Staff of the West Suffolk General Hospital for all their valuable assistance and courtesy during the year. I also call your attention to the continued good services rendered m this County bv the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The work of this Society is still greatly required, and, in this area, I can testify that the Society through its local Committee and Inspector, carries out its difficult duties in an admirable way, and that to the work there is brought patience and sound judgment and unfailing tact. My Depart ment continues to avail itself freely of the services of the Inspector, and I have every confidence in his work. To those who may think that no cruelty can exist in this fine County of Suffolk, I would give the assurance that the protective work of this Society is sorely needed m this area and I would remind these people that were it not for this Society many little chil¬ dren would suffer cruelly from the neglect, the ignorance and the callous conduct of men and women, who, though they may be parents, are utterly unfitted to have the care of children. It is my hope that every support will be given to the activities of this Society so that it can carry on adequately its fine work in the interests of little children. To the other organisations and societies having charge of child life in this area I offer my gratitude for their help and goodwill so freely given in support of the County School Service. SECONDARY SCHOOLS. The County Secondary Schools are five in number; the West Suffolk County School, the Newmarket'Secondary School, the Sudbury Grammar School, the Sudbury High Schoo] for Girls, and the Haverhill Secondary School; all these schools are provided by the Authority. ,