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78
Care of
eyesight in
secondary
schools.
In September, 1926, sight-saving education for myopic pupils was begun at
Clapton and Peckham (now Honor Oak) county secondary schools for girls and at
the Raine's foundation school for boys, and still continues.
Nutrition.
The nutritional state of the pupils in the secondary schools, as returned by the
school doctors, reverses the sex incidence of subnutrition found in elementary schools.
In the elementary schools, girls at each age are better nourished than boys, but
in the secondary schools, while only 4.1 per cent. of the boys are reported as subnormal,
amongst girls, 5 .8 per cent. are so returned.
Apart from the reversal in sex incidence, the figures for nutrition are very close
to those of the elementarv school children.
Defects.
During the year, 3,135 pupils (20.8 per cent.) were referred for treatment for
various defects. Heart defect was noted in 2.2 per cent. boys and 2.9 per cent.
girls ; defects of nose and throat in 1.7 per cent. boys and 4.7 per cent. girls ; ear
disease in .7 per cent. boys and .3 per cent. girls ; anaemia and debility in 1.4 per
cent. boys and 2 .2 per cent. girls.
In the secondary schools there are more cases than in the elementary schools
of postural defects, especially in girls, 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. Such postural defect of the spine was noted in
1.1 per cent. of boys at 12 and 1.6 per cent, at 15, but in girls the amount of this
defect was much greater, viz., 8.1 per cent, at 12 and 10.6 at 15.
The increase, between ages 12 and 15 in institutions of higher education, of
defect of vision, dental caries and postural defect is disturbing.
Re-
inspection
The re-inspection of 3,577 pupils in higher education institutions was carried out;
1,691 defects had been satisfactorily treated, 406 were under treatment, 554 had
had treatment but needed further treatment, and in 611 cases no treatment had been
obtained.
The following-up of defects discovered at secondary schools is left to the head
masters and mistresses. When the parent is not present, a letter recommending
treatment is sent, generally in the name of the head master or mistress. The
parents normally respond readily.
Scholarship children attending secondary and trade schools are given the same
facilities for medical treatment under the Council's arrangements as children in
elementary schools.
For fee-paying pupils at secondary schools who have been inspected by the
Council's medical officers or doctors appointed by the governors, arrangements are
made when necessary for medical treatment to be received under the Council's
scheme provided that (i) the parents cannot afford to make private arrangements
and (ii) payment is made therefor.
Training
colleges.
Of the 846 students examined in training colleges, none was found to be suffering
from extensive dental caries ; 92.5 per cent. of the men and 80.7 of the women
passed the vision test, but 34.3 per cent. of the men and 32.7 per cent. of the
women were wearing glasses.
Residential schools and children's homes.
During the year all the residential schools and children's homes have been visited
and reported upon by Dr. Mabel Russell.
The general health of the children has been good and the average number of
children in most of the infirmaries is under 10, although, in the case of some of the
schools which have small children under 3 in the nurseries, this number is considerably
higher during the winter months owing to the incidence of " colds."
Reference has been made on page 48 to the action taken in connection with
the occurrence of cases of vaginal discharge.
During the year a survey of the bathing and sanitary accommodation in the
schools has been made.
At the end of March, Stepney Jewish children's homes were closed and the
children transferred to Lamorbey, and, in May, Cumberlow Lodge and Stifford were