HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19384, 20 July 1926, Page 12

HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

WORK OF SCHOOL DOCTOR. POOR RESPONSE ; BY PARENTS. [by telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT.]. CHEISTCHUEC3. Monday. The medical officer of schools, Dr. E. Baker McLaglen, iri her latest report to the Canterbury. Education Board says she is growing weary of the poor support her work receives from schools. at, which she gives > free medical services. ■ The report states that, owing to the fact that the term, and public holidays occupied one-third of the working days of the month she had not been able to visit as many schools as usual. She left Christehurch' for Hokitika on June 8 to administer the protective inoculations against diphtheria, to those found by the tests given in February to be susceptible to the disease. Out of about 60 children in the infant department whose parents were circularised asking if they desired : their children tested for susceptibility to diphtheria, and" if " necessary protected against it,-- only- 42 answered in the affirmative. Of those 12 were found to be immune (an unusually high percentage ). Two • had ,left' or were. absent when Dr. Baker McLaglen arrived to give the first inoculations, one was ill and unfit for treatment,' - three after receiving one inoculation- left the' district, two ■.after receiving Wo of -the inoculations, were absent when the final one was given, and: 19 received, all three inoculations and therefore may'be* regarded'ia.s inimttne. Thus *9 children only- have been pro-i tected against diphtheria when it waspossible to protect the whole infant, community. It is a matter for wonderment, adds' the' report,' that the world is now in the second generation" of - universal education., ;