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increase of six over the number employed in the year 1904, viz., 319, as compared with 313. This
increase is due to larger employment of female inspectors, the number of whom in 1904 was 28 and in
1906 was 38. At the time of the return women inspectors were employed in all the London districts
except Bermondsey, Deptford, Greenwich, Hammersmith, Shoreditch, Stepney, and Stoke Newington.
The Medical Inspection of School Children.
The work of the Education Branch of the Public Health Department of the Council is detailed
in the report of Dr. Kerr, which is appended. (See Appendix II.)
The report shows that of 20,110 children submitted to the local assistant medical officers for
examination during the year, the numbers urgently requiring treatment were 1,165 children in respect of
vision, 1,201 in respect of hearing, and 594 in respect of speech, while 2,504 were reported as physically
defective and 807 as mentally defective. Of 636 children reported as requiring transfer to special schools,
4 were so reported on account of defective vision, 13 on account of defective hearing, 3 on account of
defective speech, 72 on account of physical and 544 on account of mental defects. Of children selected
individually from their classes, 1,617 suffered from external disease of the eye, 2,725 from throat or nose
affections, 990 from ear disease, 206 were excessively dirty and 1,484 suffered from other defects.
The results of the medical inspection of infants and of pupils in secondary schools and training colleges
are also shown.
A number of schools were inspected with regard to their sanitary condition and reported on in
respect of lighting, ventilation, heating, furniture, etc. A table on page 6 of Dr. Kerr's report shows
the number of instances in which these conditions were found to be good, fair or bad.
The report of the preceding year contained statistics of height and weight of children in three
groups of schools. The present report contains figures, calculated by Dr. Shrubsall, showing arithmetical
averages, probable error, standard deviations, and co.efficient of variation in respect both of the weight
and height of children at each age then examined. The results show that the physique of children
(judged by height and weight) in a group of schools (suburban) in better circumstanced districts is superior
to that of children in two groups of poorer schools in London. The report states that at first sight it
would appear as if environment were the cause of the differences noted, but Dr. Shrubsall points out that
racial differences between different parts of London are very great and unless this question be regarded
it is impossible to assert that environment is the factor which governs the differences observed.
Sections of the report are devoted to a discussion of particular conditions affecting school attending
children. Thus dental conditions, spinal curvature, pulmonary tuberculosis, condition of tonsils,
adenoids, acuity of hearing, articulatory capacity for consonantal sounds, and fatigue are dealt with,
while other sections are devoted to verminous conditions, ringworm and favus, for children suffering
from the last of which a special school was opened in July of 1906. The result of examination of the
teeth of children in the Michael Faraday School, voluntarily undertaken by Mr. C. Edward Wallis,
is especially instructive in showing the extent of prevalence of caries, and the need for the institution of a
system for preserving the teeth of children and the removal of septic conditions from their mouths.
The procedure adopted for the limitation of the spread of infectious disease through school
attendance is stated in the report, and the need for the re.institution of the epidemic grant is properly
insisted upon. The question of the exodus of children from London during the summer holidays is considered
in its relation to the decrease in the number of notified cases of infectious disease observed at
that time. A tabular statement shows the number of known cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria occurring
in each week of July, August and September. A fact of importance brought out by this table is that
the number of cases of scarlet fever shows no decline until the second week of the holiday, suggesting
that a diminished opportunity of infection has governed the behaviour of the figures in a greater
degree than the exodus from London.
Details are given of the conditions affecting children admitted on medical certificates to the 23
invalid schools provided in London. These schools were attended by some 1,800 children. The large
proportion of physically defective school children suffering from tuberculous diseases is obvious from
the fact that of 1,050 children examined in fifteen " physically defective centres " as many as 400
were suffering from tubercular disease of the spine, hip, knee, or other joint.
Under the heading " Vision " tables are presented showing the number of children found to have
defective vision, and the report shews that the number in need of treatment amounted to nearly 30,000.
An interesting report on the artificial lighting of schools is contributed by Mr. Bishop Harman,
This report discusses the best positions for the sources of light and the results obtained by the use of
gas light and electric light with different shades and burners. Included in Dr. Kerr's report is a chapter
giving account of a limited number of observations of the effect on the mental activity of children, of
varying conditions of the atmosphere of schools.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
December, 1907.
To the London County Council.