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97 (101) children were noted as epileptic ; 204 (185) as suffering from chorea,
and 125 (146) as suffering from paralysis. (The 1927 figures are shown in brackets.)
The slightly higher figures for chorea are in contradistinction to the figures for
almost every other complaint recorded during the year, and, taken with the increased
number of children out of school for long periods on account of this disease, tend to
support the opinion that there has been a definite increase in the incidence of this
disease in school children.
Nervous
diseases.
Signs of rickets were noted in 1,148 children, compared with 1,242 in 1927,
Naturally the greatest number was noted in entrant infants, especially boys, in
whom 490 or 1.3 per cent, were recorded with signs of rickets.
Special enquiry directed towards the discovery of signs of rickets which are
usually overlooked shows that traces of slight degrees of rickets in babyhood are
to be found in school children to a much higher extent than was expected. There
is no doubt that a large part of the town population comes under the influences
inimical to healthy growth during babyhood, including deprivation of the necessary
vitamins, or of the sunlight which, in their absence, is a necessary compensation.
Rickets.
Deformities other than those due to rickets were recorded in 3,109 children or
1.5 per cent., compared with 1.4 per cent, in 1927. 878 of these were spinal deformities
to which the older girls contributed the greater share. These deformities are almost
entirely postural curvatures of relatively slight degree.
C Deformities.
3
Considerable attention was paid to the condition of the feet of the children by
many school doctors, as the result of a conference held at The County Hall at the
commencement of the autumn term. The entry upon the records of the results
of these observations no doubt has raised slightly the number of total deformities.
29,854 boys and 29,448 girls were inspected medically during the term before
that in which they were due to leave school as an additional age group. The results
of this examination for each child are available at the after.care conference, and are
of great assistance in the choice of occupation. This examination is also valuable
as it gives a final verdict upon the net result of the work of the school medical
service and the success or otherwise achieved by the school care committees in
following up the children found to suffer from defects at an earlier age.
The health
of the
leaving child.
The leaving children are better nourished than any of the other groups. Undernourished
boys were 3.9 per cent., and under.nourished girls 3.2 per cent., of those
examined, compared with an average of 5.1 per cent, of all children in the age groups.
In regard to personal hygiene, the leavers are also superior to any other age
group, the percentage of girls found scrupulously clean being 93 (compared with
91.5 at age 12). Little difference is noted in the dental condition of the leaving
group compared with the 12.year.old group, the percentages with mouths free from
obvious dental decay being at age 12—boys, 71.7, girls, 73.4 ; at leaving school—
boys, 72.2, girls, 72.6.
The visual acuity of the leavers is superior to that of the 12.year.old group,
the percentage numbers passing Snellen's test for normal vision being 62 as against
58.8 in boys, and 58 as against 55.1 in girls.
The percentage of leavers referred for tonsillar and adenoidal growths was 2.7
in boys and 3.2 in girls, as compared with 6.6 per cent, in other age groups. Otorrhcea
was found in 0.8 per cent., as compared with 1.1 per cent. Defective hearing in
0.43 per cent., compared with 0.4. Heart defect in 1.9 per cent, of boys and 2.4 per
cent, of girls, as compared with 2.3 per cent, of boys and 2.8 per cent, of girls at 12.
Anaemia was marked in 1.3 per cent, of boys and 1.5 per cent, of girls, as compared
with 1.6 in boys and 1.8 in girls at age 12. In every improvable particular, therefore,
the children on leaving school were superior to those of 12 years of age.
Special
inspections.
While the routine inspections comprise all children, whether well or ailing,
children specially examined are those who are brought before the doctor as obviously
suffering. Those suffering from such conditions as scabies, ringworm, impetigo,