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13
Many children found with slight degrees of defect are not referred for treatment
but are placed under observation.
The proportion of those recorded as having enlarged tonsils and adenoid
growths who were referred for treatment was 45.8 per cent., compared with 44.4
in 1936, 38 per cent. in 1933 and 1934, and 43 per cent. in 1932.
Of the 7,186 children referred for treatment for these defects, 4,739 were referred
for enlarged tonsils only, 460 for adenoid growths only, and 1,987 for both enlarged
tonsils and adenoid growths.
Otorrhœa was noted in 877 children, or .7 per cent. of those examined in the
prescribed age groups, the same percentage as in 1936, compared with .8 per cent.
in 1935, .9 per cent. in 1934, .8 per cent. in 1933 and in 1932, and with 1 per cent.
in 1931 and 1930. In no year prior to 1930 was the percentage of children with
"running ears" less than one; in 1927 the percentage was 1.3, and in 1913 it was
over 2 per cent. This defect is most prevalent among entrants and diminishes during
school life year by year.
Hardness of hearing was found in 262 children, or only .2 per cent. of those
examined, being the same percentage as in 1936. This compares favourably with
383 in 1933, 453 in 1930, and 868 in 1927, and again equals the best result yet obtained.
Mention is made in another part of this report (page 16), of the extended use of
the audiometer in elementary schools, which brings to light many minor degrees of
hardness of hearing and cases of unilateral deafness, which, while not materially
interfering with education, are sometimes the indication for active preventive treatment.
Many of these cases are missed by the ordinary method of medical inspection,
in which the test is the forced whisper at 20 feet.
Otorrhoea
and hardness
of hearing
Heart defect (functional or organic) was reported in 1,795 children in the prescribed
groups or 1.4 per cent., compared with 1.5 per cent. in 1936, 1.7 in 1935,
1.9 in 1934 and 2 per cent in 1930. As usual, older girls presented a percentage
(1.5) in excess of older boys (1.2).
In studies of rheumatism in the metropolis it is found that girls suffer to a greater
extent than boys in the proportion of about 3 to 2. It is reasonable to deduce that
the figures for heart defect reflect this excessive incidence of rheumatism in the
female sex.
The continuous reduction in the percentage of children found with heart disease
of late years corresponds with the increase in preventive measures described in the
account of the rheumatism scheme (p. 38).
Heart
defect
Anæmia was recorded in 654 children, or .5 per cent., compared with .6 per
cent. in 1936, .7 in 1935, 1.0 in 1934, 1.1 in the years 1931 and 1932, and 1.2 per
cent in 1930. In this respect also the children's health shows steady improvement.
Anaemia
Lung defects were noted in 2,381 children in the prescribed age groups (or 1.8
per cent.), showing a decided improvement over 1936 and 1935, in both of which
years the percentage was 2 .1.
Lung defects
The bulk of the cases is provided by the entrants (3.1 per cent. boys and 2.9
per cent, girls). This is due largely to bronchial catarrh, which is especially prevalent
among entrant infants.
There were 56 children in the three age groups reported to have symptoms
indicative of pulmonary tuberculosis, compared with 66 in the previous year. In
addition, 24 children were found with other forms of tuberculosis, compared with
30 in 1936. The incidence of tuberculosis in any form found at routine inspections
was .6 per thousand. For many years the amount of tuberculosis among school
children has been very small.
Tuberculosis
Epilepsy was noted in 45 children, compared with 30 in 1936, 28 in 1935, 52 in
1932, 65 in 1931, and 73 in 1929 ; chorea in 76 children, compared with 101 in 1936,
104 in 1935, 158 in 1932, and 170 in 1931 ; paralysis in 61 children, compared with
41 in 1936, 45 in 1935, 55 in 1934, 63 in 1932, and 81 in 1931.
Nervous
diseases
B