[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, East Riding of Yorkshire County Council.

  • East Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, East Riding of Yorkshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    64/80 (page 57)
    An outbreak of vomiting’ and diarriioea begain in December in a large Infants’ Sebool in Beverley, and over a ]>e:riod of six weeks ai>i)roxiniately 80 children wei’e affected. 'Bhe first bateh of eases oceurre<l duriing the liast two days of one week in December and food i>oijsoning was at first suspecttHl. However, subsequent 'bacteriolog'ical exaiminatiion of stools showed tliat the outbreak was caused by sonne dysentery, llxamiination of numerous items of food from the school canteen gave negative results, as did swalbbing of all crockery and cooking utensils. Despite hygienic precautions the condition spread rapidly throtugh all classes in the school, and at one time only one-third of the pup'iilis were in attendance, although it was not possible to prove that all! the absentees suffered from dysentery. Alll' cbildren with symptoms were excluded from school until at least one negative swab had been obtained. Rectal swabbing was carried out on. every child in the school and all carriers were excluded until free from infection, 'rh-e outbreak continued for some 6 to 8 weeks and it is doubtful whether the precautions taken played any significant part in the control of the disease. A number of cases were reported in other schools in the town, but these remained sporadic. EXAMINATION FOR MENTAL CONDITION During the year lOb children were specially examined; this is the same total as in 195t. The following table shows the results of these examinations : — Normal iutelligeuce 4 Educationally sub-normal : — (a) for education in si>ecial classes 23 (b) for education in special schools 26 For notification under the Mental Deficiency Act: — (a) Under Section 57 (3) of the Education Act, 1944 14 (b) Under Section 57 (4) of the Education Act, 1944 1 (c) Under Section 57 (5) of the Education Act, 1944 20 Not considered to require supervision after leaving School 14 Decision deferred 4 The number of children ascertained as educationally sub-normal 'is now 247, 40 more than in 1954. The problem of obtaining satisfactory education for this group of children has not been solved, despite the provision of a special school at 'Etton, as there are 188 asceirtained educationally sub-normal pupils in ordinary schools ; 95 of these are conisidered suitable and are on the waiting list for a special school, and the remainder are in need of education in special classes.