[Report 1930] / School Medical Officer, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1930
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1930] / School Medical Officer, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    32/48 (page 30)
    When epileptic children arc exaniined l)y the School Medical Inspectors, the appropriate form of treatment is considered and, where institutional care seems necessary, this is advised. 'J'he number of children who can be sent to Epileptic Colonies, however, is very limited; at ])resent only three are being so dealt with. A few of the children who would be suitable for colony treatment on account of the frequency or severity of their fits are unable to be so dealt with as Epileptic Colonies refuse to admit children with any signs of mental deficiency or deterioration. Most children suffering with epilepsy can get adequate treatment from their own doctors or at hospitals and can safely attend school, where they benefit by regular supervision and control. Physically Defective Children. Cases of tuberculosis are dealt with through the Tuberculosis Section of the Health Department. It has not been found possible to classify the tuberculous children into the groups suggestetl by the Board of Education Circular No. 1321, Table III. All tuberculous children are periodically examined and certified as to their fitness for school and no child in an infectious condition is permitted to attend school. Crippled children are recorded in Table III. and the details of the County Orthopaedic Scheme a.re discussed on pages 17-25. EDUCATION AND CAPE OE DEFECTIVES. Sandhill Park Institution and Special School. This was opened in 1925, as a Certified Institution under the Board of Control to provide accommodation for 72 female defectives, and as a liesidential Siiecial School under the Board of Education for 47 feeble-minded girls. The County Council subse(iuently authorised an extension of this Institution to jjrovide a Hostel for 50 feebU--miniled boys under 10 years of a,ge, a Hostel for 50 feeble-minded girls under IC) ycairs of age and a Hostel for OO feeble-minded women, to be used tcnqrorarily for young men. The School and the Children's Hostels were completed during lt>30 and opened in June. This enabletl the Street Special School to be closed and tlu‘ boys were ti'ansferred lo Sandhill Bark. At the end of 1930 there wei'e 42 hoys in residence, including one boy from Bridg¬ water. At tlu‘ end of the year there wia'e -13 girls in ri'sidence at Sandhill Bark, including one from Taunton Borough and two fi’(.)m Bridgwater Borough. A further H feeble-miniled boys were aecommodated at the Western Counties Institution, Slai'cross, and one boy at Bichlield.