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74
Tuberculosis.
The number of children in the age groups found to be suffering from tuberculosis
remains exceedingly low and is in itself a testimony to the completeness of
the arrangements for dealing with tuberculosis. 139 children were found to be
suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, compared with 175 children in 1923, and 158
children were found with other tuberculous diseases compared with 142 in the
previous year.
Nervous
diseases.
The manifestations of nervous diseases such as fits, choreic twitchings and
paralysis are so evident that it is not to be wondered at that such conditions
are found at special inspections rather than at the inspection of routine
age groups. 112 cases of epilepsy, 169 of chorea and 190 of paralysis were
returned, while other unspecified nervous conditions were found in 1,080 children
('56 per cent.).
Deformities.
Rickets was reported in 1,786 cases (.93 per cent.) compared with 1,975 (1 per
cent.) in 1923; the heaviest incidence being as usual in entrant boy infants. On
the other hand, spinal deformities continue to be heaviest by far amongst older
girls of whom 1.21 per cent. suffered from these conditions. The total number
of children suffering from spinal deformities was 978 (.51 per cent.). Other deformities
were found in 1,432 children (.74 per cent.).
Skin diseases.
As the school nurses see every chad in the schools at least three times a year,
whereas the routine medical inspections take place only three times during the
child's school life, it is not surprising that the grosser forms of skin diseases are
seldom met with at routine inspections. Skin diseases were found in 2,144 cases
(l.06 per cent.). As was to be expected, a larger proportion was found amongst
entrant infants than in the older age groups.
5.207 cases of external eve disease were found, i.e., in 2.7 per cent., of the
External
eye diseases.
children examined in the age groups, an identical proportion with that of 1923.
Again, as is to be expected, the heaviest incidence is on the entrant infants, amongst
whom 3.7 per cent. are found with external eye diseases. This category includes
not only such inflammatory conditions as conjunctivitis, but also conditions such
as squint. Out of the 5,207 cases noted above 1,859 were found to be cases of
squint. Of the inflammatory conditions blepharitis accounted for the largest
number, conjunctivitis being second, while corneal ulceration was so rare as to be
practically negligible.
General
resume of the
results of
medical
inspections.
The routine inspections of children in the age groups give a means of measuring
the influence of social conditions upon the general condition of the school children.
They do not, however, reveal the total amount of defect and disability in the child
population of school age. Over ten per cent. of the children of school age are not
in attendance at school owing largely to ill-health. Gross departures from health are
detected by the nurses at their frequent rota visits to the schools, and the vigilance
of teachers and care committee workers leads to the detection of a large amount of
disability which is dealt with at once, only cases of doubt being reserved for the
school doctor's opinion.
The returns for 1924 show that, in all those conditions which can be ameliorated
by the work of the school medical service, the children continue to improve, progress
has been noted in regard to cleanliness, the condition of the teeth, and the reduction
of the excessive incidence of visual defect upon the older girls. On the other hand,
there has been an adverse movement in certain general conditions and special
diseases dependent upon environmental conditions over which the school has no
control.
The general nutritional condition of the children has during the past three
years shown a slight falling off, which is not to be wondered at when the extent of
unemployment is considered. Looking at the comparison of the figures during
the past year with those of the pre-war period it is clear that but for the ameliorative
efforts at work the condition of the children in this respect must have been far