[Report 1939-1940] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough.

  • Darlington (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1940
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1939-1940] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    112/120 (page 14)
    The number of eliildren on the register of the O]oen Air School at the outbreak of war was 115, and of these 20 resumed ordinary elementary school or left town after outbreak of war without being formally discharged from the Open Air School. There have been 36 new admissions during the year and 38 discharges, and the number in attendance at the end of the year was 93. The admissions were made up of children with the following defects :—- Chest conditions 9, of these 2 were quiescent tuberculous eases and 2 non- tuberculous. Heart conditions, valvular disease and rheumatic carditis 3. Bones and joints affections 6, of which 4 were tuberculous and 2 non- tubcrculous. Servieal adenitis tuberculous 5. The remaining 13 admissions were cases of malnutrition and debility with no organic lesions. There is a happy co-operation with the Orthopaedic Surgeon at the ^Memorial Hospital, whereby continuous supervision is kept on the bones and joints cases thus obtaining the best possible results from treatment at hospital combined with education and medical supervision at school. There were 38 discharges during the year. The benefit gained by these children may be gathered from the steady increase in weight which compares favourably with the more normal children. The average weight on discharge was 72 lbs. against 51 lbs. on admission. This makes a gain of 21 lbs. over an average stay at the Open Air School of 2j years. It is hoped that the average stay at the Open Air School will be so shortened as to give more opportunities to other children who may derive benefit from attendance at the Open Air School. It seems best to make all })ossible efforts to return children back to ordinary elementary school prior to their taking up employment. In many cases the parents are unwilling that the child should attend after the age of 14 years as they are afraid it will prejudice their chances of getting employment. Powers are available however to compel cases requiring the special care to remain until 16 years of age. BARNARD SCHOOL FOR fVlENTAL DEFECTSVES. During the year IMiss Pleffernan, who had been acting as Headmistress, left, and was succeeded in September by Mr. Scott. There are 61 children in attendance at the school—17 children left during the year, and of these eight left on attaining the age of 16 years ; 2 boys were granted special })ermission to leave before they had attained the age of 16 years, as suitable em})loyment had been offered to them and they were (*onsidered fit to carry it out ; 2 boys and 1 girl were notified to the Local Authority and 4 girls left the town. 13 new cases were admitted. The ])oys are now having training in shoemaking, woodwork and gardening, but the service of a visiting teacher of domestic science is urgently needed to help with the training for the girls. At the present time, much help is being given by Mrs. Murray,, who has a rota of girls for daily help in the kitchen and in the preparation and cooking of the school meals, but instruction in other branches of housewifery would be very valuable, as this is one of the important subjects in the training of these girls.