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104
Whooping
cough.
Whooping cough was prevalent during 1925, particularly in the earlier months
of the year. The total number of cases reported as occurring among school children
was 12,795, as compared with 8,404 in 1924, 7,304 (1923), 10,340 (1922) and 9,584
(1921). As in the case of measles, borough councils are empowered, under the
Maternity and Child Welfare Act (1918), to provide nursing assistance, where
necessary, for cases of whooping cough.
Ringworm
and favus.
The progressive decline in the incidence of scalp ringworm (tinea tonsurans)
among school children, which has been so noteworthy during the last few years,
was maintained in 1925, as will be observed in the subjoined table. This success in
the campaign against ringworm is due to the skilled detection of new cases by the
school nurses, and to the increasing use of the X-ray form of treatment, which now
cures nearly 75 per cent. of the cases.
Year.
Fresh cases.
Cured cases.
Cases outstanding at
the end of the year.
1911 6,214 5,872 2,458
1912 5,311 5,131 2,204
1913 5,573 5,257 2,277
1914 4,449 4,904 1,638
1915 3,747 3,928 1,334
1916 3,115 3,081 1,232
1917 2,814 2,964 992
1918 2,639 2,555 979
1919 3,447 3,103 1,259
1920 3,983 3,856 1,332
1921 3,473 3,765 999
1922 2,766 2,918 818
1923 2,322 2,395 705
1924 1,724 1,924 482
1925 1,518 1,611 373
The decline in the number of cases of ringworm in recent years has been accompanied
by a reduction of the average length of absence of the affected children.
The combination of these two factors has led to a very considerable gain in school
attendance. Whereas in 1911 the average length of absence was 6 months, in 1921
the period had been reduced to 5 months, and in 1924 to 19 weeks.
As an illustration of the amount of saving of loss of school attendance due to
the prevention of ringworm, and the consequential gain, both educationally and
financially, it will be of interest to record that in 1921 the loss in school attendance
amounted to approximately 650,000 sessions on account of ringworm, whereas in
1924 the attendances lost for the same cause were only 337,130.
The children cured by X-ray in 1924 were able to return to school, on the
average, in 9.7 weeks after the treatment commenced, whereas the children treated
by ointments, lotions, etc., were absent from school for an average period of 26
weeks. Efforts are being made, by more frequent and thorough observation of the
process of epilation of the scalp following application of the rays, to expedite still
further the return to school of children whose parents agree to this form of treatment,
which, if universally applied, would practically extirpate ringworm altogether.
As a contrast to these cases cured by methods of radio-therapy, it will be of
interest to record that at the time when the calculation of absences due to ringworm
was carried out in 1925, there were 33 children under treatment by ointments,
etc., who had been absent from school for more than 12 months. Of these, 20
had been absent from 52 to 78 weeks, 5 from 78 to 104 weeks, 3 from 2 to 3 years, 1
for 5 years, and 4, who had been re-infected from time to time, had been absent for
62 weeks, 72 weeks, 2 years and 4 years, respectively. Of these 33 cases, 10 were
ultimately cured by X-rays, with the parents' belated consent, and in the remaining
23 parental consent could not be obtained.
During 1925, 2,640 specimens of hair stumps were examined in the Council's