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were reviewed, but detailed examinations were not deemed necessary. As might be
expected, the children in the secondary schools show a general superiority in physical
fitness over children in the elementary schools. In seven cases the clothing was found
to be poor and in two infestation with head vermin was noted.
Dental
condition.
The percentage of children, aged 12, with sound teeth was: boys, 78.7; girls,
80.3; but at the age of 15 this percentage had fallen by 5.7 per cent. among boys
and 4.7 per cent. among girls. Of cases of widespread dental decay where 4 or more
teeth were affected, the percentage among boys and girls of 12 years old was 1.1
and .9 respectively, compared with 1.5 and 1.1 in elementary schools at this age.
Vision.
At the age of 12, 72.1 per cent. or the boys and 71.8 per cent. or the girls were
able to pass the vision test, compared with 65.4 and 61.8 in elementary schools;
but, whereas in elementary schools the vision of children leaving at 14 years of age
is better than that of the children of 12, the reverse is the case in the secondary schools,
suggesting that the more serious strain in reading has a detrimental effect upon the eyesight.
In secondary schools 17.3 per cent, of the boys and 15.6 per cent. of girls
were wearing glasses at the age of 12, but at the age of 15 the percentages were 23.4
boys and 20.6 girls.
In spite of the much greater percentage wearing glasses at the age of 15, the
number of pupils with normal vision had fallen to 68. 6 per cent, among boys and 66.1
per cent. among girls.
The children in secondary schools are, as far as scholarship cases are concerned,
selected children, and no child is admitted who is deemed incapable by reason of illhealth
of benefiting from the education provided. Cases of heart disease, defects
of nose and throat, and ear disease are rarer than in elementary schools, where there
is no selection beyond that of drafting to special schools. Yet in the secondary schools
there are more cases of postural defects such as curvature of the spine, again showing
the effect of more intensive study, and in these cases also the incidence is higher at
the age of 15 than at the age of 12.
Nutrition.
The nutritional figures in secondary schools give rise to some concern as 7.2 per
cent. of boys and 12.2 per cent. of girls are returned as below normal. These are
worse percentages than in elementary schools, and it is intended during the year to
extend to secondary schools the investigations into nutrition to be held in elementary
schools.
Training
colleges.
Of the 1,171 students examined in training colleges, 3 were found to be suffering
from extensive dental caries; 87.3 of the men and 83.5 of the women passed the
vision test, but 28 per cent. of the men and 31.7 of the women were wearing glasses.
Re-
inspection.
The re-inspection of l,749 secondary school pupils (involving 6,720 ailments)
was carried out; 1,802 defects had been remedied, 860 had improved, and in 1,058
(mostly dental cases) there was no improvement.
There is, perhaps, still too little attention paid in certain places of higher education
to the pursuit of health, and it may be that sacrifice is made to striving for
examination results at the expense of the cultivation of healthy bodies. At any rate
the deterioration between the ages of 12 and 15, which the above figures show,
requires earnest consideration.
Following-up.
The returns of the school doctors who re-inspect children found at the routine
inspections in elementary schools to be ailing and in need of treatment make it possible
to compile a statistical record of following-up. During 1932, 162,163 children' were
re-inspected. At the first re-inspection 105,226 cases of defects requiring treatment
and 30,964 observation cases (some children having more than one defect) were
reviewed. At the second re-inspection 56,937 treatment and 22,002 observation cases
not cleared up at a first re-inspection were again reviewed. By combining the results
of both re-inspections it is found that 81.6 per cent. of the children re-inspected were
treated or discharged as no longer requiring treatment. This result is exactly the
same as last year, being the highest percentage yet recorded.