View report page

11
Satisfaction was expressed in recent reports that the excessive incidence of
visual defect on older girls compared with the boys, which was formerly such a
striking result of school medical inspection returns, had diminished as the result, it
was thought, of improvements in school hygiene, such as by a rule of the Education
Committee that sewing should not be done by artificial light unless the school
medical officer had given his consent after examination of the lighting.
The figures for 1938 show that there is still a heavier incidence upon older girls,
although the excess of visual defect in girls is much less than in former years.
Much care is taken by the school organisation to ensure ocular hygiene. The
lighting of classrooms both natural and artificial receives special attention in order to
secure the best results. The type of all class books is closely scrutinised and all
doubtful cases are submitted to the school medical officer for his decision. Fine
tasks, like sewing, are carried out in good natural light and not under artificial
lighting, unless this has been approved by the school medical officer. Much of this
care is, however, rendered nugatory by out of school activities.
Considerable indignation has recently been expressed by teachers and workers
in connection with certain of the popular periodicals which are produced and sold to
the children. An appeal has been received from the South African Council for Child
Welfare drawing attention to the exceedingly poor pages and the small and indistinct
print of most boys' papers, all of which are printed in England. An examination of
sample copies of these periodicals fully iustifi.es the criticism which is made.
Enlarged
tonsils and
adenoid
growths
In the prescribed age groups, 6,579 children were referred for some form of
treatment of enlarged tonsils or adenoid growths ; this is 5.2 per cent. of the children
examined, compared with 5.4 per cent. in 1937, 5.0 per cent. in 1936, 6.6 per cent. in
1931,6.7 per cent. in 1930 and 7 per cent. in 1929. These nose and throat conditions
are found chiefly among the entrant group, many of the children in the older groups
having already been dealt with before their examination in those age groups. The
percentages requiring treatment for these conditions in the individual age groups
were : entrant boys 8.7, girls 7.2; 7-year-old boys 4.48, girls 5.2; 11-year-old boys
1.7, girls 2.5.
There has been a fall in recent years in the percentage of children referred for
treatment for enlarged tonsils and adenoid growths, though 1937 showed a slight
upward tendency. The older the children the fewer there are that suffer from ear,
nose and throat defects.
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 44.6 per cent., compared with 45.8 in
1937, 44.4 in 1936, 38 per cent. in 1933 and 1934, and 43 per cent. in 1932.
Of the 6,579 children referred for treatment for these defects, 4,423 were referred
for enlarged tonsils only, 488 for adenoid growths only, and 1,668 for both enlarged
tonsils and adenoid growths.
Otorrhcea
and hardness
of hearing
Otorrhcea was noted in 870 children, or .7 per cent. of those examined in the
prescribed age groups, the same percentage as in 1936 and 1937, 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 226 children, or only .2 per cent. of those
examined, being the same percentage as in 1936 and 1937. 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 15), 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