View report page

15
given school meals (including milk and cod-liver oil) on the advice of the school
doctors, head teachers or school care committees. Children who were specially
examined at the request of the teachers, care committees, etc., numbered 6,903.
The following comparisons are made in regard to the 47,237 children who were
examined in the four age groups in 1940 and the 169,995 examined in the same age
groups in 1938, the last complete year of medical inspection. The figures in brackets
relate to the whole year 1938.
The nutrition of the children was assessed as satisfactory in 93.3 (93.4) per cent.
The percentage of children found with nits or pediculi in the hair was 31 (2.3).
This shows some deterioration. Up to 1938 the results of these inspections showed
progressive improvement, so that there is no doubt that war conditions have produced
a retrograde effect in this respect. Medical inspection showed that 65.2
per cent. of the children were found to have sound dental conditions compared with
70.2 in 1938. On the other hand the percentage of children with normal vision
increased from 67 .8 to 77.3.
The following figures relate to findings of general health conditions:—
Percentage
1940 1938
Adenoids and enlarged tonsils 3.5 9.2
Skin diseases 1.7 l.0
Enlarged glands, 0.8 1.5
External eye disease 1.5 1.7
Ear discharge and hearing—
Otitis media 0.3 0.6
Defective hearing 0.2 0.2
Heart disease 1.1 1.4
Anaemia 0.3 0.4
Lung disease 0.6 1.5
Tuberculosis (pulmonary) 0.02 0.04
„ (other lesions) 0.05* 0.02
Rickets (boys—entrants)1.5 l.0
„ (girls—entrants) 1.2 0.4
* Some of the children concerned would no doubt have been in attendance at special "P.D." schools
under peace-time conditions.
In making a comparison between the figures of 1938 and 1940 important considerations
must be kept in mind. Firstly, the children in London were a remnant
and evacuation might have had a selective influence. Secondly, the age groups
in 1940 were not of equal weight as older children were attending school in much
larger numbers than younger children and conditions which normally appear more
often in older children would be exaggerated, and conversely those appearing more
often in younger children would be artificially diminished.
With regard to the "postcard" examinations in the first three months of
the year of children of all ages not attending school, 10.8 per cent. were reported
as showing defective nutrition, 91.2 were noted as clean and 63.8 as being sound
in dental condition. Corresponding figures for the children seen in the same period
at emergency schools were 7.9, 94.1 and 72.6. These comparisons are interesting
as showing how regular school life leads to greater care being taken.
Much importance is attached, in examination of leavers, to the question of
choice of employment. For the first time this report is able to give some information
as to contra-indications. Of 7,395 leaver boys examined 90.2 per cent. were fit
for any employment. Of 7,751 girls 89 per cent. showed no contra-indications.
Work involving heavy normal tasks was contra-indicated in 1.89 per cent. of the
boys and in 2.24 of the girls. "Prolonged standing "was deprecated in .87 per
cent. of the boys and in 1.44 of the girls. The biggest groups of contra-indications
were in work involving eye strain (4.44 per cent. boys and 5.29 girls) and in work
requiring acute distant vision where the percentage for boys was 4.49 and for girls
4.98.
"Contraindications"
of leavers