Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-27
SCHOOL MEDICAL INSPECTIONS
 OF MUCH VALUE IS REPORT

That the town of Norwich has had nothing in the past year approaching an epidemic of any kind is stated in the annual report by Dr. George Thompson the town health officer. The doctor also reports successful beginning of the de- partment's work in the supervision of the health conditions of the school child ren.
 Reporting to the selectmen Dr. Thomp- son covers the situation during the year as follows:
 The past year has been remarkable for the small number of contagiius dis eases reported, nothing approaching an epidemic of any kind having been noted
 Grippe: It has not been the custom of the physicians of Norwich to report eases of grippe or influenza except in times of epidemic so I cannot estimate the number that have occurred since my last report but it has not been at all prevalent and not af severe type.
 Diphtheria: Six cases of diphtheria have been reported, no deaths. I cannot see from an inspection of past records that this disease is less frequent than in former years. but epidemics are much less frequent and the mortality IS greatly reduced.
 scarlatina: Only four cases repirted and are of mild type.
 Tuberculosis: Nine cases reported This is much larger number than is usually reported due to the fact that more of them are cared for in the State Tuberculosis Sanitarium and are prompt ly reported from that institution. Measles: Only one case reported.
 Nuisances: Five nuisances were report ed and promptly abated upon notice | from the health officer.
 CsaI,o school buildings or the town were in spected and found in excellent condition. l wish to call attention against to what l have referred to in other reports to your board-the desirability of the in- i stallation of sanitary and up-to- date toilets in the West Town street school house. I will only repeat that I con slider it a very necessary improvement and hope that the school board will soon install them.
 { By the action of the last town meeting relative to the supervision and care oi | the physical well being of the schoo children of cur town, it became my duty to assme new duties which have hith- erto been foreign to the position of thG health officer And while it may no1 be proper at this time to enter into an! lengthy discussion of this subject, fee that it would not be out of place to re port briefly on the progress of the work I feel assured that we acted wisely il establishing a separate department fO this work and making a proper appro priation for it's maintenance. All mat ters of importance have been brough before the advisory board appointed, an, I have been guided almost wholly by it
 advice. The work has been a decide
 success particularly in uncovering fact
 i">>l conditions that will have graar m
 fuence in future procedures. I will no
 enter into details but these investiaa
 tions show that there is an linens
 amount of work to be done among thes
 little ones if we attempt to do cur duJ
 by them
 Nearly a year has passed since thi
 department was established as a sepaI
 ate body and while we have done all tha
 it was possible to do in that time "
 have but made a begining in what
 hope is to be a great work of conserva
 ton. If we are to reap the full bene
 fit cf our preliminary work we shall hay
 to have substantial increase in our ar