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certificates as convalescent from ringworm but who are subsequently
found to be in an infectious condition. It is a great pity that
these "relapses" should so frequently occur and that there is
not a better understanding as to what constitutes freedom from
infection. I here repeat that my own practice is to regard a case of
ringworm treated by drugs as infectious until the diseased patch is
covered with hair of normal texture and "set," and until the scalp
is free from scales and no diseased stumps can be detected after
careful examination with a hand lens.
:
Children treated by X-Rays are regarded as free from infection
and allowed to return to school as soon as the affected area is
absolutely bald and the last diseased stump has been extracted.
This is often a somewhat tedious process as the hairs have a way
of breaking off close to the surface of the scalp. Children sent
back to school at this early stage should invariably be kept under
supervision in order to guard against the danger of relapse.
For the children whose parents will neither avail themselves of
the X-Ray treatment nor persevere with drugs, it seems to me that
a small ringworm class might be tried at one or two centres. Such
provision would certainly prevent parents from neglecting the
treatment of older children because they wished to avail themselves
of their services at home rather than send them to school.
TRE4TMENT OF FAVUS.—In my last annual report I referred
to a family of three children who were suffering from this disease
which is extremly intractable but fortunately rare in this part of the
country The eldest boy. who was thought to have recovered at
the time of my last report subsequently relapsed, but is now quite
free from the disease and has been found work, in spite of the fact
that owing to continual exclusion from school he is unable to read
or write. The third child was submitted to treatment during the
year and is in all probability cured, though he will have to be kept
under observation a little longer, as this disease has a great tendency
to relapse.
As far as can be ascertained the Borough is now free from this
disease, and it is worth noting that the two younger children would
in all probability have been continuously excluded from school if
the local authority had not undertaken their treatment.
TREATMENT OF OTHER DEFECTS.—With regard to other
defects, our practice is as follows:—Should the parent be present at
the inspection the nature of the defect is explained and the parent
advised to secure medical treatment. In all but the most trivial