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The physical defects evidenced by the children are as follows:—
Malnutrition.-—59 children showed some evidence of this and 39 have improved.
Poor physique.—Of 24 of these children, 14 show improvement.
Debility.—12 of 22 debilitated children improved. Four of these children who suffer from
spinal curvature due to bad posture have been having courses of remedial exercises under
hospital supervision. Two others have during the year developed rheumatism. One has been
at Carshalton for three months. The other has been recently discharged from hospital, and,
though now showing no active sign of rheumatism or of heart affection, is very anaemic and
debilitated, and so has been excluded from school and sent to the rheumatism supervisory clinic
for advice.
Anaemia.—12 of 16 anaemic children have improved.
Fibrosis of lungs.—10 out of 11 of these children showed some improvement of their
general condition. The other child is now away for convalescence.
Rickets.—8 children showed some evidence of former rickets.
Chronic otorrhoea.—9 children were affected. One child has had an operation for mastoid
infection and is now free from otorrhoea. Three have been cured by ionisation treatment at
the special ear clinic, and four are now under treatment there. In one child the trouble cleared
up temporarily but has recently recurred.
Cervical adenitis.—6 children were affected. Three have scars of former operative treatment,
their condition now being satisfactory. One child had a course of "light treatment" recently,
followed by excision of the glands, and is now doing well. One child with an enlarged submaxillary
gland is under hospital treatment, and the gland is a little smaller. Two other children
need dental treatment.
Unhealthy tonsils.—Of 6 children affected, two have had operative treatment, and the
others show some improvement of the local condition.
Chronic nasal catarrh.—Of 6 children, four are well now, and the others have improved.
Chronic blepharitis.—Of 5 children, 4 are clear and one improved.
Old abdominal tuberculosis.—2 children are keeping well. One had a relapse last summer
and is now invalided from school. He has recently been to Brentwood.
Enlarged bronchial glands.—There are two children, of whom one is doing well, the other
not too well.
Old Chorea.—2 children who have had this complaint are keeping well.
Heart disease.—2 children with mitral disease are doing well. Their general condition has
improved.
Stowey
House openair
school.
At Stowey House, Dr. Slowan in his annual report remarks upon the difficulty
experienced of late in keeping this large school up to its accommodation numbers.
This he ascribes to the improvement in general health of the children in the
contributory elementary schools. The following is an extract from his report:—
One cannot help coming to the conclusion that, as ought to be expected, there is a general
rise in the health standard of the school child, and that there is a considerable diminution in the
number of children suffering from anaemia, malnutrition or enlarged glands, i.e., children
requiring open-air school treatment.
This view is to a certain extent confirmed by the increasing difficulty which is clearly shown
in finding children suitable for open-air schools, and in the insufficiency of the reasons for
recommendations given on the nomination forms such as "would probably benefit by open-air
school treatment," "requires more fresh air," or at the most that very useful term which can be
used to cover every uncertain diagnosis "debility."