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considered to be tuberculous in character, but due rather to
septic states of the mouth and throat.
Some 9 per cent. of the children inspected were below their
proper nutritional standard. Serious malnutrition, however, is
not at all common amongst Hornsey school children. The height
and weight of each child are compared with the heights and
weights as set out in the table compiled by Stephenson. It is
hoped that a more modern table will be available before long.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Several localised outbreaks of infectious disease occurred in
certain of the schools during 1925. Whooping-cough and mumps
caused a good many absences in St. Mary's Schools during the
first half of the year; chicken-pox and mumps were prevalent
in Stroud Green School from March to May; explosive outbursts
of measles, fortunately of a mild type, occurred in Stroud Green
School in October and in South Harringay and Muswell Hill
Schools in December. In St. Mary's Infants' School thirteen
cases of diphtheria were notified during the months of November
and December, but the disease disappeared just before the
Christmas vacation. The School Medical Officer and the School
Nurses paid frequent visits to the departments affected and
examined large numbers of children in the hope of detecting any
early or missed cases of the diseases in question. The Attendance
Officers assisted by obtaining accurate information regarding
children absent on account of indefinite illness. In no case was
it considered necessary to close any school or department.
FOLLOWING UP.
Following up visits are visits paid by the School Nurses,
and sometimes by the Attendance Officers, to the homes of
children who have been found to require treatment of some sort.
Most of this work is done by two of the Nurses. During the
year 1,115 visits were paid to various school departments, and
1,351 to children's homes. A surprising amount of ignorance
and apathy still exists with regard to the necessity of obtaining
treatment for many of the ailments suffered by children, ahd
it is only by persistently following up the castes to their homes
that good results can be achieved.