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52
Whooping-cough, 86; chickenpox, 135; mumps, 161 ; influenza (January to
March), 84.
In the course of their visitation of these schools, the school nurses inspected the
children and advised the head teachers as to exclusion or re-admission to school.
Scabies.
A reference to the action taken in connection with the ascertainment and
treatment of cases of scabies appears elsewhere in this report. The children at one
school were kept under special observation for a time by the school nurse on account
of the occurrence of several cases of the disease amongst the children.
Ophthalmia.
Outbreaks of ophthalmia occurred during the year at three schools and two cases
of trachoma were reported. The children in the affected schools were kept under
supervision by the school medical and school nursing staffs, working in close
co-operation with the borough health services. Special measures were taken to
obviate the spread of infection through the use of school towels.
Ringworm.

As has been stated in previous annual reports, the prevalence of scalp ringworm
amongst children of school age in London some years ago presented serious and
difficult problems. Infection was spread rapidly and the cure by means of ointment,
lotions, etc., was a lengthy process. The excellent work of the school nurses in
detecting the disease in the earliest stages and "following-up" with a view. to
securing proper treatment and the employment of X-rays have been responsible for
the very great reduction in the number of cases.
During the year, 655 specimens of hair stumps, sent by the school nurses, were
examined for ringworm at the laboratory at the County Hall. Ringworm fungus
was found in 212 of these (153 small spore and 59 large spore).
One case of favus was discovered after microscopical examination. The child
received treatment in hospital.
Favus.
Post-
encephalitis
lethargica.
During the year 19 children (12 male and 7 female) were admitted to the
Council's post-encephalitis lethargica unit at the Northern hospital, and 15 (10 male
and 5 female) were discharged. One child (a male) died at the unit after an attack
of acute influenzal bronchitis.
Play centres.
Close co-operation has been maintained with the Play Centres Committee,
who were notified with regard to all schools where infectious illness was prevalent.
The Committee are continuing the scheme for the distribution of notices warning
parents against sending children to the centres if they are unwell or are home contacts
of infectious illness, as outlined in the annual report for last year.
School
journeys.
The special arrangements were continued for the medical examination of
children before departure for school journeys. Particulars of the general arrangements
made for school journeys during 1933 are set out on page 61.
Approved
schools and
remand home.
In consequence of the occurrence of twelve cases of scarlet fever amongst the
boys at Mayford school during the period December, 1932, to April, 1933, the
' Education Committee on 17th May, 1933, agreed that, subject to the consent of the
parents or guardians, the boys should be tested to ascertain which were immune to
scarlet fever and which were susceptible, and that the latter should be actively
immunised against the disease. The work was carried out with satisfactory results.