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75
worse than, in effect, it is. The greater prevalence of nose and throat diseases and
the slight increase in cases of anaemia are explained by climatic conditions and the
effects of the periodical return of certain infectious diseases.
Special
inspections.
41,348 children were brought before the school doctors for individual examination
as special cases. These included children found ailing by school nurses, children
not attending school brought up by the attendance officers, and children upon whom
care committees or head teachers required the doctor's advice, and in addition to
these, 22,513 children were seen in connection with nominations for camp schools,
open-air classes, etc. Amongst these 63,861 there were 1,073 children suffering
from malnutrition, 1,747 from skin diseases, 3,840 from defective vision, 576 from
squint, 1,104 with external eye diseases, 1,624 with deafness or ear disease, 4,031
with diseases of throat and nose, 498 with enlarged cervical glands, 3,738 with
dental trouble, 1,484 with heart trouble, 2,572 with anaemia, 1,018 with bronchitis,
647 with other lung diseases (non-tuberculous), 371 with pulmonary tuberculosis
definite or suspected, 223 with other tuberculous diseases, 1,112 with nervous
diseases and 773 with deformities of various kinds. Although the number of
children was only a third of those seen at routine inspections, it is noteworthy
that the numbers of children found at special inspections suffering from corneal
ulceration, scabies, tuberculosis and nervous diseases were very much higher than
the numbers found amongst the children in the routine age group inspections. In
connection with infectious disease investigations 46,215 children were seen during
the year.
Inspections
of secondary
scholars.
9,994 students and pupils were inspected in training colleges, secondary schools
and other places for higher education. It would not be helpful to set out in detail
the disabilities and defects found amongst them as their ages are spread over a
very wide range and their conditions vary greatly. It may be noted, however,
that 1,588 were found to be wearing spectacles, 1,228 presented some spinal
aberration and 971 were recorded as flat footed. The round shouldered,
spectacled person with ungainly walk, the traditional student type, is therefore
still too abundant in our schools and colleges in spite of modern ideals of physical
culture.
All pupils in secondary schools were inspected in detail at the ages of 12 and
15. There were 1,675 girls in secondary schools at the age of 12, and occasion may
be taken here to compare the results of their inspection with those of girls of the
same age in elementary schools, the corresponding percentages in the elementary
school children being placed in brackets after those of the secondary school girls.
The percentage of secondary school girls with sound teeth was 76'3 (70.5), with
less than four decayed teeth 22.5 (26.9), with 4 or more decayed teeth 1.3 (2.6).
Inspection of the hair and scalp showed that there were 97.6 per cent. satisfactory
(82.5), 2.1 per cent. with nits (16.3), and 0.3 per cent. verminous (1.2). Normal
vision was found in the secondary school girls in 65.9 per cent. (54.0), slight defect
of vision in 16.3 per cent. (24.4) and serious defect in 17.8 per cent. (21.6), 155 per
cent. were wearing glasses. Ear diseases were found in 0.4 per cent. (1.6), defective
hearing in 0.7 per cent. (0.6), cardiac defects in 4.6 per cent. (3.78), anaemia in 43
per cent. (3.39).
Special Enquiries.
Congenital
syphilis.
At the request of Sir George Newman the inspecting staff were asked in the
first two terms of the year to pay special attention to the question of congenital
syphilis and a weekly return of all cases seen, definite or suspected, was sent in