Acute rheumatism in children in its relation to heart disease.

Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Acute rheumatism in children in its relation to heart disease. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    child ” to regain sufficient strength and vitality to allow his return to the ordinary public elementary school after a period varying usually from 6 months to a year, but in some cases extending to two or three years. Children selected for admission to this type of school fall into four main groups :— 3 (a) Those suffering from ill-defined conditions of bad health, such as malnutrition, anemia, debility, the “ pre- tubercular ’’ conditions, and rickets. (6) Those convalescent from acute diseases or surgical operations. (¢) Those with enlarged glands, tubercular or otherwise. (d) Nervous or highly-strung children. The buildings are of various types, from the temporary wooden shelters placed in public parks or open spaces to the specially erected schools providing class-rooms, which can be opened on three sides, a dining-room, a rest room, bathrooms, and the necessary offices. Often a private house is used as an adminis- trative block, while in the grounds surrounding it are built wooden sheds which serve as class-rooms. In schools assembled in temporary shelters often there is no heating apparatus, or at the most a stove which serves only to dry the air in its immediate neighbourhood. For the maintenance of warmth reliance is placed on adequate and proper ‘clothing and a judicious interspersion of physical exercises among the sedentary occupations of the curriculum. In some newly erected buildings has been installed an efficient system of under- floor heating consisting of hot-water pipes embedded in concrete beneath a floor of special composition. In schools having a permanent building as an administrative block arrangements should be made for a room in which children can dry their clothes. In all schools it should be possible to provide a change of stockings -and shoes for children who have got wet in their journey from home. The regime of the day open-air school follows more or less ‘standardised lines. The children assemble at about 9, when a light breakfast, usually consisting of milk and bread and butter, is served. ‘Two hours’ instruction in the usual school subjects is given in the morning, with a break for physical exercises or games. The mid-day meal is served between 12 and 1. This is followed by one and a half hours’ rest, taken on flat canvas stretchers or trestle beds in the open air, or during inclement weather in the rest shed. ‘The afternoon session, which is usually devoted to hand work, again lasts two hours. In most schools milk is served before the children return home between four and five in the afternoon. Instruction, even in theoretical subjects, as far as possible takes a practical form, and is given in the open air. The general arrangements of the day open-air school are under the:supervision of the school medical officer or his assistant,