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Wherever necessary. I gave a few words of hygienic advice, mostly on personal
cleanliness, to the pupils privately.
Only such cases where the treatment suggested by the L.C.C. medical officers
has not been carried out and cases without any previous apparent medical record
or with defects arisen subsequently to the day school medical examination, have been
noted in the above classification.
More detailed information can be had from my reports of each school."
Medical Inspections in Secondary and Trade Schools.
All pupils in the secondary and trade schools are examined in detail at the ages
of 12 and 15 years, while the record of each pupil is reviewed at other ages and a
medical examination carried out if this is considered advisable. Including examinations
in training colleges, 11,795 pupils were examined in detail in 1929. Amongst
them were included 1,352 boys at age 12 and 2,020 boys at age 15. Amongst girls
there were 863 at age 12 and 1,688 at age 15.
In comparison with the children of the elementary schools, the secondary school
pupils, as might be expected, show superiority although the disparity yearly grows
less. In one instance, only, that of a girl of fifteen, gross uncleanliness of person was
found.
The condition of the teeth of secondary school pupils at age 12 is superior to
that of the elementary school children. 79.8 per cent. of secondary school boys at
this age have sound dentures as against 72.9 per cent. of elementary school boys.
Amongst girls the percentage is 81 compared with 75.6 amongst the elementary
school girls of the same age. 74..8 per cent. of secondary school boys at age 12 pass
the vision test compared with 59.3 per cent. of elementary school boys. In girls
the figures are 67.4 per cent. against 55.7 per cent. The percentage of boys of 12
in secondary schools with ear disease is 0.7 and of girls 0.6. Defective hearing is
present in 1.1 per cent. of boys but only 0.6 of girls.
Comparing the conditions of the twelve-year-old and fifteen-year-old groups in
secondary schools it is found that while the condition of the teeth is stationary in
girls, the fifteen-year-old boys show a distinct falling off, sound dentures fall from
79.8 per cent. to 72.6 per cent. and severe caries increases from 0.7 per cent. at the
earlier to 2.2 per cent. at the later age. At age 15 fewer boys can pass the vision test,
71.6 per cent. as against 74.8 per cent., while 16.2 per cent. of boys are wearing
spectacles at fifteen as compared with 12 per cent. at age 12. In girls 19.1 per cent.
are wearing spectacles at 15 as against 16.2 per cent. at 12. Severe vision defect
increases from 13.9 per cent. of boys at 12, to 17.8 per cent. at 15. In girls the increase
of severe vision defect is from 16.5 per cent. to 17.2 per cent.
Anaemia increases in boys from 1.5 per cent. to 1.9 and in girls from 1.4 per cent.
to 2.4 per cent.
The question
of overpressure.
The fact that definite deterioration in health takes place during the period of
secondary education must give all concerned with the adolescent age "furiously to
think." The age is one of rapid growth physically and mentally. More than this
it is an age of change in which vital organs are taking on new shape and new function.
Not only are the physical characteristics of the body rapidly altering but also its
chemical and physiological mechanism. New energy is provided but the calls upon
this energy are superabundant. During this time of most active growth and most
active change it is unfortunately necessary to impose the heaviest tasks in preparation
for adult life.
It is not to be wondered at that the cry of "over-pressure" is raised from time
to time not only in this country but also abroad. The Minister of Instruction of the
French Republic has just appointed a commission to study the question of overpressure.
Occasion was taken when the question was raised anew recently in this
country to invite the assistant medical officers to give the results of their experience