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The total number of girls whose progress has been retarded by physical defects exceeds the
number of boys. This agrees with the impression obtained from casual school visits. A considerable
number of the anaemic and delicate are kept away from school or even when in school are not considered
fit to be " pushed on " with the other children. They are generally nervous children in a
condition of irritable excitability. Of the 1,360 children in school altogether, " backward " and normal,
defective vision only directly accounted for backwardness in 21 per cent, whilst 3'3 per cent, were backward
solely due to defect of hearing.
It is to be noted in this table that however the effects of the exanthemata may appear secondarily
as backwardness due to anaemia, to otorrhoea or other such causes, yet the direct effects of the
zymotics is apparently unimportant in later school life.
So many children in a crowded district like Hoxton suffer these diseases either before school
life or early in the infant department, that the time lost can easily be made up later, even two or three
months' absence will not delay a child'?, progress from one standard to another unless it happens to come
;ust before the time for promotion.
OUT OP SCHOOL WORK.
" Nothing in the nature of work should be given to children, it injures their healths," thus wrote
John Locke, the English father of school hygiene. The ease with which deformity may be impressed
on growing structures is well known, but the impossibility of habituating a child's muscles to hard work,
is not generally understood. A child under 14 cannot be " trained." It is without muscular reserve.
All excess of energy is devoted to growth and development, and if a tax is placed on energy by getting
muscular work out of a child, there are no reserve powers, and the child may suffer nutritionally
in stunted growth and atrophied powers. It is easily damaged by attempts at long continued work
without sufficient rest intervals.
The muscles of a growing child are physiologically not adapted for economical use in labour.
Arising out of an enquiry in the summer of 1905 into the proposed by-laws regarding the out of school
work of boys, Dr. C. J. Thomas made an investigation into the conditions of 400 boys employed out
of school hours. He points out that the numbers are insufficient for certainty, although sufficient to
give important indications, and further that as all the examinations were done during a very hot part
of the year, signs of fatigue, anaemia, irritability and loss of muscular tone were likely to be very manifest.
A moderate amount of light work up to 20 hours weekly if distributed over the week does
no evident harm, but above this, signs of ill-health show themselves. If, however, most of the work is
done upon one day, less than 20 hours weekly may result in ill-health. 400 boys were selected by the
teachers in 14 Boys' schools widely scattered over London and representing an attendance on the dates
of examination of 3,864. Each boy was individually examined and notes made of the existence of
anaemia, severe nerve signs, deformities of growth and severe heart signs.
Fatigue—General reduction of muscular to.ie, relaxed orbiculares, head balance impaired,touch,
attitude, alteration or loss of voice.
Anaemia—Distinctly below normal.
Severe nerve signs.—Excessive tremor, stammering, inco-ordinations, chorea, tics, altered
reflexes.