- Email: [email protected]
Private schools and private school children
98
PUBLIC
of these must be exceptional, including as they do ante-natal services, at clinics and elsewhere ; the supply of midwives, consultants, hospital beds ; provision of ancillaries (sterilised outfits, home helps, etc.), and education. That the o.fficers and authorities do know something of the things suggested and have experience of the methods and thei r working', the Minister himself is prepared to admit. In his opinion, what is wanted is the taking of such action as will increase their usefulness and extend the field of their activities. As is pointed~out, with regard to ante-natal clinics .for example, it is useless to o.rganise and provide them, and to wait for people to. make use of them. Doctors and midwives will not necessarily use them merely because they are invited and encouraged to do so; they must be associated with the institutions and the staffs. And so with the women themselves; it is useless for the authorities, having established clinics and services of various sorts, to be satisfied merely with the anno.uncement of the establishment and to sit and wait for the coming of the women to make use of them. The unwillingness displayed may be accounted for in a variety of ways, though it is just possible that it may be overcome, as the memorandum suggests, b y education and by the inauguration of a campaign of enlightenment; info.rming women generally, but tho.se immediately concerned particularly, of the ante-natal centres; of the arrangements made for the supply of midwives and consultants ; of the hospital beds and the ancillaries; o.f the why and the wherefore of these provisions and facilities ; urging', pressing and encouraging that they should be u s e d . The view expressed in the memorandum is that local autho.rities are in the best position to organise a campaign with tt!e assistance of their medical officers and health visitors, and this no doubt is correct. Just as it is correct to. suggest that it is essential to. secure the co-operation of t h e doctors, and midwives practising in the area, and of suitable vohmtary o.rganisations oo.ncerned with the welfare of women. In this memorandum, as in others issued by tl{e Ministry in which reference is made to securing the assistance of their health officers by the local authorities, it is taken for granted that these officers will be ready and willing with assistance. H o w safe the Minister is in doing so it is unnecessary to say here, tho.ugh it may be claimed that in no connection more than in relation to the ~ecuring of benefits for mothers and mother-
HEALTH.
JAnUArY,
hood, could the Minister more safely take it for granted that for all such assistance as they can give the authorities may rely upon the health officers.
Private Schools and Private School Children. T the November meeting of the Council, Dr. Agnes Nicoll, who had represented tile Society at a Conference of the Association of Headmistresses, reported that although there had been muct~ talk of the necessity for inspection of private schools, not one of the speakers--apart from herself--made any reference to. the need for some form o.f medical inspection and health supervision of the children attending such schools. Not.surprisingly this statement attracted serious attention amongst the members of Cottncil, and determiriation was expressed to. watch most closely any developments, in connection with the making of provision for increased supervision over schools of this type. The announcement recently made b y the President of the Board of Education that he has set up a departmental committee " to survey the present position of the Board of Education and the local education authorities in relation to, schools not in receipt of grants from public funds, and to consider what legislative or other changes are desirable for the purpose of securing that the children attending such schools receive an adequate education under suitabl~ conditions," suggests that the moment for pushing forward the point of view expressed by Dr. Nicoll at the Conference referred to, and endorsed by the Council, may have arrived. Conceivably the words " under suitable conditions," in the minute of appointment, may be taken as affording hope that the committee will have the power to consider and advise as to the. need fo.r the making o.f provision for medical supervision in-order to secure " that the children attending such sehoois receive an adequate education." YVhether or not the words are capable of being so read, it may be taken that the Council, if there was any meaning in what was said when Dr. Nicoll m a d e her statement, will spare no effort to. ensure that the point of view for which the Society as a who.le must stand in this connection is brought prominently before the committee. The fact that there is included on the committee a representative of the service, in one so. experienced and influential as Dr. Oscar M. Holden, of Croydon, :may be regarded as promising and
A
PUBLIC HEALTH.
1931.
as suggesting that any medical and health views expressed will receive full and proper consideration. The other members of the departmental Committee are Mr. Ede, M.P. (Chairman), Alderman Francis Askew, Mr. Beaumont, M.P., Captain Cazalet, M.P., Mr. R. H . Charles ( H . M . Inspector of Schools), Miss ~V. M. Crosthwaite, Mr. White, M.P., Mr. M. G. Holmes, Dr. F. R. HurlstoneJones, Mrs. Leah Manning, Mr. S. Maxwell, Councillor \Vright Robinson, Dr. A. Salter, ~4.P., Mr. O. H. }Vagner, and Mr. T, A. 'vVarren, with Mr. E. D. Marris, of the Board of :Education, as Secretary. All who have experience of private schools and have felt the need of power to do sometl~ing on behalf of the children in certain types of such schools will be inclined to regard this as one of the m o s t important committees set up by any department of recent years; will regard its appointment as a step, rather long delayed, in the right directio.n, and will hope that its deliberations may be fruitful of results all for the benefit of a set of children whose interests, existence even, have been far too. long forgotten. *
*
,R.
@
-R-
The Treatment of Tuberculosis. ~vVO memoranda of great interest a n d importance to those concerned with the treatment of tuberculosis have recently been issued by the Ministry of Health. The first (Memo. 1 2 2 D / T ) deals with costs of residential institutions, and shows in tabular form, under various heads, the cost per patient per week at certain institutions for'the treatment of the tuberculous :during the year ended March 31st, 1930. For the purposes, of comparison the corresponding figures for the t w o previous years have been inserted in the cases in wllich these figures are available. The hope is again expressed that the information in the table m a y be of substantial assistance to authorities in enabling them to decide whether; in an), particular case, the various items of expenditure are on the lowest level compatible wittl efficiency, and to take any further steps necessary to secure the economical administration of their institutions. An analysis shows that in rather more than onehalf of the institutions for which comparative figures are available for the last two years, the total cost per patient week has increased. In many of the institutions the increased cost is again attributable, wholly or mainly, to. addi-
T
99
tional expenditure on renewals and repairs, but in a number of the institutions wimre the total cost has increased the rate of occupation has diminished. The Ministry point out, as stated in previous rnemoranda, that full value for the expenditure incurred at a residential institution can only be obtained if the beds are kept constantly Qccupied, and it is again suggested that, if it is found that some of the beds in an institution are not required for patients from tile area served by the institution, every effort should be made to obtain patients from the authorities of other areas who may need additional beds. T h e other memorandum (131C/T) contains, also in tabular form, an analysis of work done during the year 1929 under the schemes of local authorities for the treatment of tuberculosis, as shown in the returns furnished in accordance with memorandum 37/T. It has been compiled on lines similar to those of previous years, and also includes a section with regard to the work undertaken by the K i n g Edward V I I V~relsh National Memorial Association. In studying One table it is considered desirable that local attthorities and their officers should, in particular, compare the figures relating to their o w n areas with those relating to other districts of similar size and character. Such a study, it is felt, may suggest the expediency of extending or varying the schemes in certain directions in order to secure greater efficiency. Copies of both memoranda may be obtained on application to the Ministry of Health.
Atmospheric Pollution. H:E 1929 Report on the Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution* contains, in addition to the Report of the Standing Conference of Co-operating Bodies, which includes representatives of municipalities and of industrial and other bodies, and nominees of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Report of the Atmospheric Pollution Research Committee and that of the Superintendent of Observations (Dr. J. S. Owens). In the first-named Report it is noted that the question of the measurement of daylight, and of ultra-violet radiation, and also
T
¢¢ THE INVESTIGATION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION, Report on Observations in the year ended March 31st, 1929. Fifteenth Report, D e p a r t m e n t of Scientific and Industrial Research, H . M . Stationery Office, 1930. pp. 64. Price as. 6d. net.
PUBLIC
of these must be exceptional, including as they do ante-natal services, at clinics and elsewhere ; the supply of midwives, consultants, hospital beds ; provision of ancillaries (sterilised outfits, home helps, etc.), and education. That the o.fficers and authorities do know something of the things suggested and have experience of the methods and thei r working', the Minister himself is prepared to admit. In his opinion, what is wanted is the taking of such action as will increase their usefulness and extend the field of their activities. As is pointed~out, with regard to ante-natal clinics .for example, it is useless to o.rganise and provide them, and to wait for people to. make use of them. Doctors and midwives will not necessarily use them merely because they are invited and encouraged to do so; they must be associated with the institutions and the staffs. And so with the women themselves; it is useless for the authorities, having established clinics and services of various sorts, to be satisfied merely with the anno.uncement of the establishment and to sit and wait for the coming of the women to make use of them. The unwillingness displayed may be accounted for in a variety of ways, though it is just possible that it may be overcome, as the memorandum suggests, b y education and by the inauguration of a campaign of enlightenment; info.rming women generally, but tho.se immediately concerned particularly, of the ante-natal centres; of the arrangements made for the supply of midwives and consultants ; of the hospital beds and the ancillaries; o.f the why and the wherefore of these provisions and facilities ; urging', pressing and encouraging that they should be u s e d . The view expressed in the memorandum is that local autho.rities are in the best position to organise a campaign with tt!e assistance of their medical officers and health visitors, and this no doubt is correct. Just as it is correct to. suggest that it is essential to. secure the co-operation of t h e doctors, and midwives practising in the area, and of suitable vohmtary o.rganisations oo.ncerned with the welfare of women. In this memorandum, as in others issued by tl{e Ministry in which reference is made to securing the assistance of their health officers by the local authorities, it is taken for granted that these officers will be ready and willing with assistance. H o w safe the Minister is in doing so it is unnecessary to say here, tho.ugh it may be claimed that in no connection more than in relation to the ~ecuring of benefits for mothers and mother-
HEALTH.
JAnUArY,
hood, could the Minister more safely take it for granted that for all such assistance as they can give the authorities may rely upon the health officers.
Private Schools and Private School Children. T the November meeting of the Council, Dr. Agnes Nicoll, who had represented tile Society at a Conference of the Association of Headmistresses, reported that although there had been muct~ talk of the necessity for inspection of private schools, not one of the speakers--apart from herself--made any reference to. the need for some form o.f medical inspection and health supervision of the children attending such schools. Not.surprisingly this statement attracted serious attention amongst the members of Cottncil, and determiriation was expressed to. watch most closely any developments, in connection with the making of provision for increased supervision over schools of this type. The announcement recently made b y the President of the Board of Education that he has set up a departmental committee " to survey the present position of the Board of Education and the local education authorities in relation to, schools not in receipt of grants from public funds, and to consider what legislative or other changes are desirable for the purpose of securing that the children attending such schools receive an adequate education under suitabl~ conditions," suggests that the moment for pushing forward the point of view expressed by Dr. Nicoll at the Conference referred to, and endorsed by the Council, may have arrived. Conceivably the words " under suitable conditions," in the minute of appointment, may be taken as affording hope that the committee will have the power to consider and advise as to the. need fo.r the making o.f provision for medical supervision in-order to secure " that the children attending such sehoois receive an adequate education." YVhether or not the words are capable of being so read, it may be taken that the Council, if there was any meaning in what was said when Dr. Nicoll m a d e her statement, will spare no effort to. ensure that the point of view for which the Society as a who.le must stand in this connection is brought prominently before the committee. The fact that there is included on the committee a representative of the service, in one so. experienced and influential as Dr. Oscar M. Holden, of Croydon, :may be regarded as promising and
A
PUBLIC HEALTH.
1931.
as suggesting that any medical and health views expressed will receive full and proper consideration. The other members of the departmental Committee are Mr. Ede, M.P. (Chairman), Alderman Francis Askew, Mr. Beaumont, M.P., Captain Cazalet, M.P., Mr. R. H . Charles ( H . M . Inspector of Schools), Miss ~V. M. Crosthwaite, Mr. White, M.P., Mr. M. G. Holmes, Dr. F. R. HurlstoneJones, Mrs. Leah Manning, Mr. S. Maxwell, Councillor \Vright Robinson, Dr. A. Salter, ~4.P., Mr. O. H. }Vagner, and Mr. T, A. 'vVarren, with Mr. E. D. Marris, of the Board of :Education, as Secretary. All who have experience of private schools and have felt the need of power to do sometl~ing on behalf of the children in certain types of such schools will be inclined to regard this as one of the m o s t important committees set up by any department of recent years; will regard its appointment as a step, rather long delayed, in the right directio.n, and will hope that its deliberations may be fruitful of results all for the benefit of a set of children whose interests, existence even, have been far too. long forgotten. *
*
,R.
@
-R-
The Treatment of Tuberculosis. ~vVO memoranda of great interest a n d importance to those concerned with the treatment of tuberculosis have recently been issued by the Ministry of Health. The first (Memo. 1 2 2 D / T ) deals with costs of residential institutions, and shows in tabular form, under various heads, the cost per patient per week at certain institutions for'the treatment of the tuberculous :during the year ended March 31st, 1930. For the purposes, of comparison the corresponding figures for the t w o previous years have been inserted in the cases in wllich these figures are available. The hope is again expressed that the information in the table m a y be of substantial assistance to authorities in enabling them to decide whether; in an), particular case, the various items of expenditure are on the lowest level compatible wittl efficiency, and to take any further steps necessary to secure the economical administration of their institutions. An analysis shows that in rather more than onehalf of the institutions for which comparative figures are available for the last two years, the total cost per patient week has increased. In many of the institutions the increased cost is again attributable, wholly or mainly, to. addi-
T
99
tional expenditure on renewals and repairs, but in a number of the institutions wimre the total cost has increased the rate of occupation has diminished. The Ministry point out, as stated in previous rnemoranda, that full value for the expenditure incurred at a residential institution can only be obtained if the beds are kept constantly Qccupied, and it is again suggested that, if it is found that some of the beds in an institution are not required for patients from tile area served by the institution, every effort should be made to obtain patients from the authorities of other areas who may need additional beds. T h e other memorandum (131C/T) contains, also in tabular form, an analysis of work done during the year 1929 under the schemes of local authorities for the treatment of tuberculosis, as shown in the returns furnished in accordance with memorandum 37/T. It has been compiled on lines similar to those of previous years, and also includes a section with regard to the work undertaken by the K i n g Edward V I I V~relsh National Memorial Association. In studying One table it is considered desirable that local attthorities and their officers should, in particular, compare the figures relating to their o w n areas with those relating to other districts of similar size and character. Such a study, it is felt, may suggest the expediency of extending or varying the schemes in certain directions in order to secure greater efficiency. Copies of both memoranda may be obtained on application to the Ministry of Health.
Atmospheric Pollution. H:E 1929 Report on the Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution* contains, in addition to the Report of the Standing Conference of Co-operating Bodies, which includes representatives of municipalities and of industrial and other bodies, and nominees of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Report of the Atmospheric Pollution Research Committee and that of the Superintendent of Observations (Dr. J. S. Owens). In the first-named Report it is noted that the question of the measurement of daylight, and of ultra-violet radiation, and also
T
¢¢ THE INVESTIGATION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION, Report on Observations in the year ended March 31st, 1929. Fifteenth Report, D e p a r t m e n t of Scientific and Industrial Research, H . M . Stationery Office, 1930. pp. 64. Price as. 6d. net.