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149
During the year 103 schools were specially visited by school nurses on account Ophthal
of the prevalence of mumps.
Ophthalmia was reported as the cause of school absence in 644 cases in 1929.
Although this is not many more than one-third of the number in 1923 it is disappointing
to note that the recent annual decline in the number of cases of ophthalmia
noted in the report for 1928 has been checked. The numbers of cases in previous
vears are shown in the table on page 144.

During 1929, of the specimens of hair stumps sent in byschool nurses, 1,132
were examined in the Council's laboratory, and of these 394 contained ringworm
fungus (342 small spore and 52 large spore) and 8 proved to be favus.
Three fresh cases of favus were discovered during the year, one of which was
cured during the course of the year.
The arrangement by which, in November, 1925, the Metropolitan Asylums
Board provided special accommodation for children between the ages of three
and 16 years who are suffering from the sequelae of encephalitis lethargica, has
been continued. During 1929, 35 children were admitted (including 12 re-admissions)
and 25 were discharged, 1 died and 9 were transferred to adult wards, leaving 69
under treatment on 31st December, 1929. A more detailed review of encephalitis
lethargica was contained in the Annual Reports of the school medical officer for
1925 and 1926.
Few cases of infectious diseases were reported among the children in the
Council's residential, special and industrial schools.
There was nothing in the nature of an " outbreak " of disease at any of the
nstitutions.
Encephalitis
lethargica.
Residential
speoial and
industrial
schools and
places of
detention.