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from signs of verminous infestation of the hair, compared with 87.3 per cent, of the
boys. In 1916 and 1917, the percentage had risen in the girls to 70, in 1920 to 75,
in 1923 it had climbed to 80, in 1926 to 88.1. In 1927 the percentage of 12.year.old
girls found completely free was 89.5, and in 1928 for the first time the 12.year.old
girls have passed the 90 mark, the percentage being actually 91.5. When it is
considered how bad the conditions were formerly in elementary schools in this
respect, and when it is also considered that the finding of a single nit removes the
girl from the absolutely.clean classification, this result entitles 1928 to be marked
as a red letter year. The improvement in this one respect is to be taken, of course,
merely as an index of all round general improvement in personal hygiene and care.
Infestation with body vermin, which before medical inspection was found in 3 to
4 per cent, of elementary school children, has now practically disappeared.
Only those who had experience of conditions before the institution of the school
medical service can really appreciate what this great improvement means in the
comfort of those working in the schools, in the raising of the general tone of our
schools, and in the added self.respect and reverence for hygienic ideals on the part
of the girls themselves. At the same time, the boys have greatly improved also,
and 96.8 per cent of the 12-year.old boys are now scrupulously clean in respect of
the hair. The patient labour of the nurses has naturally been greatly assisted
by the fashion which is now quite general for girls to have their hair cut shorter
than formerlv.
The condition of the children's teeth improves during school life, but 28.3 per
cent, of 12.year.old boys and 26.6 per cent, of 12.year.old girls are still found to
have obvious caries at the school doctor's oral inspection. This is slightly better
than during 1927, when 29.4 per cent, of the boys and 27.7 per cent, of the girls at
this age were returned as having obvious dental caries. Each year there is a slight
progress in this respect, and altogether since 1913 the progress is quite considerable,
for in that year 50 per cent, of 12.year.old boys and 47.6 per cent, of 12.year.old
girls were found with obvious decay. This is entirely due to the provision of school
dental inspection and dental treatment, for the condition of the mouths of the
entrant infants shows that now 47.0 per cent, of entrant boys and 48.0 per cent,
of entrant girls have obvious caries, which is a worse state of affairs than existed
in 1913.
Dental
decay.
In addition to dental canes itseli, conditions ol oral sepsis (abscesses, septic
gums, enlarged glands, etc.) are high amongst entrant infants, of whom 15 per cent,
suffer from these conditions, which are reduced during school life to 7.5 per cent,
at 8 years of age, and 2.2 per cent, at 12 years. There is ample proof, therefore,
that the efforts of the school dental service are successful in improving generally
the condition of the children while at school; it is to be hoped that more will be done
in the near future for the child of pre.school age, who, when he arrives at school,
is so often found to have already much dental trouble. It is also hoped that it will
be found possible for something to be done to continue the supervision of dental
conditions after school life, for it is a melancholy thing to contemplate the almost
total cessation of care and opportunity for the remedy of defect which takes place
immediately school is left. Some of the enlightened employers are making efforts
to cope with the evil, and it is hoped that methods towards this end will shortly be
adopted in the voluntary day continuation schools.
In the statutory age groups 13,508 children were in 1928 referred for treatment
for enlarged tonsils and adenoid growths. This number is 6.5 per cent, of those
examined and deviates only slightly from the number so referred (6.6 per cent.) in
1927. Entrant infants provide a greater proportion of children referred for treatment
for unhealthy throat conditions than any other age group (10.1 per cent, of
all examined in boys, and 9.3 per cent, in girls). The provision of facilities for
treatment under conditions satisfactory to modern requirements for this large
Enlarged
tonsils and
adenoid
growths.