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(1) Bad housing conditions, lack of fresh air and sunlight.
(2) Overcrowding, especially among tuberculous persons.
(3) Malnutrition.
(4) Bad teeth and enlarged tonsils.
(5) Other illness, such as whooping cough.
Ringworm.—During the year under review 43 children were
found who were suffering from ringworm of the scalp and 21
who had ringworm of the skin. The disease is infectious and is
caused by a fungus, the spores of which are spread from person
to person either by direct contact or through the air.
Impetigo or Infectious Sores.—This is a common and distressing
complaint, and not without danger to the child. During
the year 254 children were discovered who were suffering from
impetigo. There is an association, the nature of which is uncertain,
between this disease and scarlet fever; but the disease
itself seems also to be related to a lack of the " Fat Soluble A"
vitamine that is found in fresh butter and in milk and cod liver
oil.
Scabies or the Itch.—During the year 53 children were found
to be suffering from this irritating condition. The disease is
caused by a small parasite of the spider family that burrows
under the skin and lays its eggs there.
Enlarged Lymphatic Glands.—Out of 2,825 children
examined, 278 were found to have enlargement of the lymphatic
glands. In the majority of instances these enlargements were
secondary to decayed teeth or to inflamed tonsils or to some
other septic condition. In a few cases the enlargement was
tuberculous in nature.
Mental Deficiency.— During the year under review 8 children
were seen who were mentally defective. The mentally defective
children in the school at Finchley were inspected twice during
the year by the School Medical Officer.