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69
The percentage of leavers referred for tonsillar and adenoidal growths was 2.5
in boys and 3.3 in girls compared with 7 per cent. of children in the three earlier age
groups.
Otorrhœa was present in 0.8 per cent. of boys and 0.6 per cent. of girls, being
a lower percentage than at any other age.
Hearing defect was recorded in 0.4 per cent. being the same percentage as at
age 12.
Heart defect was recorded in 1.6 per cent. of boys and 2.2 per cent. of girls
compared with 2.1 per cent. and 2.9 per cent. per cent. at age 12
Anaemia was recorded in 1.0 per cent of boys and 1.1 per cent of girls compared
with 1.5 per cent. and 1.3 per cent at age 12.
Apart, therefore, from the falling back in the condition of the girls' teeth, there
was a marked improvement again this year in the leaver children compared with the
12 year-old children. It is highly desirable that a routine dental inspection should
be introduced at age 13 when the arrangements in connection with the raising of
the school age to 15 are made.
Special
inspections.
While the routine inspections comprise all children whether well or ailing,
children specially examined are those who are brought before the doctor because the
members of care committees, teachers or school nurses are specially concerned about
their health.
In 1929 amongst the 36,977 children so examined, 599 were noted for treatment
or observation for scabies as compared with only 97 amongst the 248,036 children
examined in the age groups, 415 with defective hearing compared with 607, and 948
with otorrhœa compared with 2,003. There were also 239 with tuberculosis compared
with 127. Epilepsy and chorea are other conditions far more often brought
to light at special than in routine inspections. There were 190 children with epilepsy
compared with 67 and 470 with chorea compared with 176 in the routine examinations.
Summary of
results.
In taking stock of the healtn of the school child it is found that a large amount
of preventible disease and suffering exists, but the general condition of the children
improves greatly during school life and the child leaving is much healthier than the
child entering school. The general tendency is towards betterment and alleviation ;
although there are no sudden alterations from year to year there is evidence of
steady progress. When all the years since the school medical service was instituted
are considered together, the progress is seen to be truly remarkable.
The nutritional state of the children, the condition of the older children's teeth
and the standard of personal hygiene have been improved to a very considerable
extent. Favus has completely disappeared and ringworm reduced to one-tenth
its former prevalence. Particularly noteworthy during recent years is the steady
diminution in the incidence of such conditions as otorrhœa, anaemia, grave nervous
diseases and tuberculosis. All this has been achieved by a variety of agencies and
influences, in which the teacher, the voluntary worker, the attendance officer, the
school nurse, the school dentist and the school doctor have each played important
parts.
Much is due to the greatly increased sense of parental responsibility and pride,
and much to the better understanding of the importance of hygiene inside and
outside the school, including a better appreciation of food values and of the importance
of cleanliness and, above all perhaps, of the advantages which spring from properly
ventilated rooms and life in the open air.
Canal boat
children.
In previous reports the physical condition of the canal boat children who are
educated at the "barge class" held in connection with St. Michael's School, Starstreet,
Paddington, was fully reported upon. This class is still carried on and
there are special arrangements for attending to the physical needs of the children.
In view of the attention being paid to canal boat children and the proposals in