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speaking generally children were well fed during the war) but because they were
mainly the children of the men who were unfit.
There is little doubt that there will be a great change for the better so soon as
reports on the children at present leaving the schools become available.
Immediately after the demobilisation the birth rate shot up and with it came a
great improvement in physique for the increase was due to the birth of children whose
fathers were men of first class physique.
Special
examinations.
An analysis of the results of medical inspection of children in the age groups
does not tell the whole story with regard to the health of the children in the schools.
The children are, day by day, under the intelligent observation of their teachers,
the school care committees, and the school nurses, and any gross variation from health
is unlikely to pass unnoticed.
The number of children, not in the age groups for routine examinations, submitted
to the school doctors as special cases was 85,360, and this figure does not include
another 71,600 who came under inspection in the course of enquiries into outbreaks
of infectious diseases.
Although the number of children seen at special inspections was much less than
one-half of the number seen in the routine age groups, yet in the case of many diseases
the actual numbers found to be suffering therefrom in the former generally exceed
those in the latter. Thus 1,904 children with scabies were referred for treatment
at special inspections, compared with 129 only at routine inspections. Heart trouble
requiring treatment was detected in 373 children at special inspections, compared
with 326 at routine inspections. So far as tuberculosis is concerned 30 children were
referred for treatment from special inspections, and 26 from routine inspections
(including that of the extra "leaver" group). In regard to epileptics 108 first came
to notice at special inspections, compared with 55 at routine inspections, and 215
children with chorea were referred for treatment at special inspections, compared
with 67 at routine examinations.
This is evidence that considerable advantage is being taken of the doctors' visits
to the schools and that really ailing children are promptly brought under medical
advice.
Conclusions.
The year was one of overflowing sun. This no doubt, contributed to the
healthy state in which the children were found. Fewer defects than ever before
were reported. Further the last has been seen so far as the elementary schools
are concerned of the weakly children of the war.
The state of nutrition and the cleanliness of the children has been maintained.
But the index group, the girls of twelve years of age, who have always been the
greatest sufferers from unclean condition have fallen slightly from the pinnacle they
reached in the previous year.
There are indications of a struggle against adverse circumstances bravely met
and in the main victorious.
There are indications of both intense anxiety lest the child population should
suffer, and of high resolve that they shall be shielded from suffering as far as is
humanly possible.
The early signs of suffering in children are eagerly sought and as eagerly the
means which exist to remedy the evil are applied to each individual case. Although
serious malnutrition is uncommon there is a certain number of children whose
nutrition has slightly worsened, but these are being found and saved by timely action
from serious ill effect.
More children have been brought before the doctor.
More children are being fed in school, a number of delicate children whose
parents formerly paid for their school milk are now having it free. More children
have been sent to the country for convalescence and recuperation.
The social welfare organisation of care committee members has been more
active than ever.
There has been a slight falling off in the number of children brought to dental
treatment, but there has been an improvement in the number provided with spectacles