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although those wearing spectacles rose from 16 per cent, to 19.2 percent. The
number of boy pupils with more serious defect of vision rose from 15.3 per cent, at
12 years to 19.1 per cent, at 15, and similar figures were found in the girls (15.4 per
cent, and 19.5 per cent.).
In these three years of secondary school life, therefore, there is measurable
deterioration both in dental conditions and of vision.
Considering that a higher proportion of girls than of boys wear spectacles and that
the number wearing them increases between 12 and 15, and that notwithstanding
this the visual acuity of the girls is markedly less than that of boys, while also visual
acuity declines in boys during secondary school life, there appears to be no escaping
the conclusion that education imposes injurious strain upon the eyes, greater in girls
than in boys. Of the men in training colleges 70 per cent, were able to pass the vision
test: 26.4 per cent, of those examined wore spectacles ; amongst the women 72.2 per
cent, passed the vision test but 33.5 per cent, were wearing spectacles.
Education
and eye
strain.
As safeguards to the health of pupils, principals and parents should be alive to the
necessity of regular visits to the dentist on one hand and, on the other hand, of
protecting the eyes by the provision of spectacles to relieve strain and by avoiding
prolonged periods of reading and close eye work without the necessary resting of the
eyes at intervals.
Following.up.
The physical care of the children generally, including the following.up of those
found defective at medical inspections, is entrusted by the Council to the school care
committees, of which the number is now 920. The number of voluntary workers
who are full members of a care committee is 6,167. The care committee work is
directed by a staff of organisers numbering 149.
The re.inspection by the school medical staff of children previously referred for
treatment or placed under observation makes it possible to compile a statistical
record of following.up. During 1930, 186,615 children were re.inspected, a decrease
of 9,744 upon the previous year: 127,147 were first re.inspections and 67,401 were
second re.inspections of cases not completely cleared up at the primary re.inspection
which takes place about four to six months after the child first comes under notice as
defective. Combining the results of first and second re.inspections it is found that
80.7 per cent, of children found ailing were finally treated or discharged as no longer
requiring treatment. This result is better than that of the previous year and is the
best result ever obtained.