View report page

71
The Results of Medical Inspection.
The number of children in the three statutory age groups inspected in the
elementary schools during 1926 was 183,696, being 14,006 less than in the year
1925. They included 74,948 entrants, 44,195 children at age eight, and 64,553
children at age twelve. The inequality in the magnitude of the groups reflects
the alterations of the birth rate just before, during and subsequently to the war.
2,025 additional children were examined in their age groups at special schools.
Furthermore, 6.3,099 children were inspected in the term before they were due to
leave school (i.e., approaching the age of 14).
38,753 children were medically examined in 1926 as special cases not falling
in the above age groups, being presented to the doctors by care committee workers,
school nurses, head teachers and attendance officers, either because there were
indications of failing health or because they were absent from school. An additional
42,822 children were inspected in connection with school journeys, open-air classes,
camp schools and so forth.
In all, therefore, 330,395 inspections of children were carried out during 1926,
compared with 316,722 inspections in 1925. The additional numbers are due to
the fact that the examination of children about to leave school was carried out
completely in 1926 whereas in 1925 the examination of this additional age group
was not undertaken until the year was already advanced.
The number of children previously found ailing who were re-inspected in 1926
was 191,182, a very considerable increase beyond the number in 1925 which was
159,388. These reinspections are not included in the totals shown above.
Altogether the volume of primary work of inspecting and reinspecting children
in the elementary schools, therefore, was considerably increased in 1926.
103,717 children in the four age groups were referred for treatment for various
kinds of ailment. These included dental conditions. The proportion referred for
treatment of those inspected was 42 per cent., compared with 429 per cent, in 1925.
The percentage referred for treatment in the three statutory age groups was 43'8,
and this is identical with the percentage of the previous years. A large number of
the children were referred for treatment for dental conditions. The exclusion of
dental cases reduces the percentage referred for treatment to 193. For the purposes
of comparison with former years, the analysis of the incidence of the various ailments
which immediately follows will be limited to the three statutory age groups, the
condition of the leaving children being left over for a following section.
Defects
found.
11,391 children in the age groups were found to be under nourished. This is
6" 2 per cent, of the number inspected compared with 6'3 per cent, in 1925. This
result is very remarkable, considering the widespread unemployment during a year
which was more overshadowed by industrial troubles than any other year in history.
Although it is true that during inspections it did not appear that there was any
noticeable falling away in the physical condition of the children, yet we were quite
prepared for at least a fractional rise in the proportion of under nourished children
as the result of the whole year's working when reduced to statistical form. That
nothing of the kind has taken place is a testimony to the efficiency of the measures
which have been introduced of late years to safeguard the health and well being
of our children. These measures stood the strain of the great war, and they have
proved themselves effective in dealing with the strains, perhaps even greater, which
have been the war's aftermath. The worst group from the point of view of nutrition
is that of the eight-year-old boys, 8*2 per cent, of whom appeared to be undernourished,
compared with 6" 6. per cent, of the girls of the same age.
In an earlier repoit (1923) it was pointed out that there is a special syndrome of
conditions which presses most hardly upon boys of this age. This syndrome expresses
itself in grave dental decay leading to oral sepsis with enlarged cervical
Nutrition.