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139
For the girls the equation is:—
W—12.92 = .00452 (H — 73.23)2.,
the weight being expressed in kilogrammes and the height in centimetres.
The relative heights and weights together with the height and weight
curves from the equations given above are shown on the two accompanying
charts.
Ringworm.
Of the children inspected, four had ringworm of the scalp and two had
ringworm of the body. All were boys.
The number of children away from school for ringworm at the end of the
year was 78, 66 of these being for ringworm of the scalp and 12 for ringworm
of the body.
The children who are away from school for ringworm are inspected by the
School Medical Officer at intervals of not less than a month in the School
Medical Office. The exclusion certificate for cases of ringworm is never given
for a period longer than a month. If the children do not present themselves for
examination at the end of this period they are visited by the attendance officer.
A child who has been excluded for ringworm is not admitted to school until a
clearance certificate has been sent by the School Medical Officer.
A child who has ringworm of the scalp is always away for several months,
sometimes even for over a year. This prolonged exclusion from school is no
doubt very detrimental to the child, and very trying for the parents, but it is the
only course to prevent the disease spreading through the schools.
Ninety-five samples of hair were examined in the Council's laboratory, of
which 67 were found to be infected and 28 non-infected with the parasitic growth.
Other Skin Diseases.
Thirteen children had congenitally rough skins, in seven of whom the
condition was very marked. One child had scabies, four had impetigo. Three
children, one boy and two girls, had psoriasis, three had marked seborrhcea of
the skin, and one of the scalp. One child had patches of alopecia areata
on the scalp.
Teeth.
The number of children with decayed teeth is given in the table at the end
of the report. It will be seen that 47.2 of the entrants had sound teeth,
48.4 per cent, of the leavers and 37.4 per cent, of the intermediate group;
while 15.1 per cent, of the entrants, 5.2 per cent, of the leavers and 10.9
per cent, of the intermediate group had four decayed teeth or more. The above
figures apply to both temporary and permanent teeth.