View report page

64
The first nursery class under this provision was opened in June, 1936, at
Senior-street school, Paddington, to accommodate 40 children, and two similar
classes were started at the Raleigh school at Stepney later in the year. A further
nursery class was established during 1937 at Crondall-street school, Hoxton and in
1938 two classes have also been formed at Creek Road school, Deptford.
The nursery classrooms face south and have french windows opening on to the
playgrounds. There is indoor sanitation and provision for bathing. Milk, apples
and rusks are provided. Cod-liver oil is also available for the children. The babies
are attended to by the school nurse daily, and all are medically examined once
a term.
In my report for 1937 full accounts were given of the organisation of nursery
schools and nursery classes, and of the effects of the methods upon the health and
physique of the infants attending. A visit to one of these schools or classes is always
enheartening, and the work done in them is worthy of all praise.
Medical inspection at secondary and junior technical schools, training colleges, etc.
The arrangements have been as set out in the report for 1937.
Excluding students in training colleges, 15,250 pupils were examined during the
year by the Council's medical officers. Details of the distribution of these students
in the various institutions are given in the appendix (table VII). In addition to
the above, the records of 3,394 pupils not in the age groups were reviewed, but
detailed examinations were not deemed necessary. As might be expected, the
children in the secondary schools show a general superiority in freedom from physical
defect over children in the elementary schools. In the case of one pupil only, a girl,
was the clothing found to be poor, but in 15 cases (1 boy and 14 girls) infestation
with vermin was noted.
Dental
condition
The percentage of children, aged 12, with sound teeth was : boys, 86.5 ; girls,
81.6; but at the age of 15 this percentage had decreased to 82.2 per cent, among
boys and to 79.8 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 1.5 and 1.2, respectively, compared with 1.1 in both boys and girls leaving
elementary schools.
Vision
At the age of 12, 81.5 per cent, of the boys and 76.4 per cent, of the girls were
able to pass the vision test with glasses, if any, compared with 71.4 and 68.9
in elementary school leavers. In secondary schools, 17.4 per cent, of both boys and
girls were wearing glasses at the age of 12, but at the age of 15 the percentages
were 19.2 boys and 21.4 girls.
In spite of the greater percentage wearing glasses at the age of 15, the percentage
of pupils passing the vision test was less, viz., 76.2 per cent, among boys and 73.4
per cent, among girls, suggesting that the more serious strain in reading has a detrimental
effect upon the eyesight.
Better eyesight among boys than girls is still a noteworthy feature of the results
of school medical inspection.
The deterioration in visual acuity which takes place during school life is em
phasised by the figures for more serious defect (6-12 or worse) which rises between
12 and 15 from 8.5 to 13.6 per cent, in secondary school boys, and from 11.7 to
13 • 4 per cent, in girls.
Nutrition
The nutritional state of the pupils in the secondary schools, as returned by the
school doctors, is very similar to that of the leavers in elementary schools, 4.9 per
cent, being returned as subnormal in secondary schools, as against 4.5 in elementary
school leavers.
Defects
During the year, 3,575 pupils (23.3 per cent.) were referred for treatment for
various defects. Heart defect was noted in 1.9 per cent, boys and 2.8 per cent,
girls ; defects of nose and throat in 1.1 per cent, boys and 4.8 per cent, girls; ear
disease in .5 per cent, boys and .4 per cent, girls; anaemia and debility in 1.2 per
cent, boys and 1.9 per cent, girls.