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in the younger age groups accounted in the main for the increase in the figures for
cervical glands, defective speech, psychological defects (for this latter diagnostic
group the increase would have been greater had not the increases in young ages
been partly compensated by reductions in older ages).
Slight increases in lung disease (non-T.B.) occurred in most age groups for
boys but in the entrant girls group there was a percentage incidence of 2.5 per cent.
against 1.8 per cent. in 1948.
Comparison with 1938 showed an increase in every comparable defect listed
except for anaemia, which remained at the same level, and heart and circulation,
which had decreased.
Nutrition

These figures, though satisfactory, relate only to the worst cases (which are
referred for treatment) and these evidently form a fairly stable fraction. More
objectively, however, the 1949 survey of heights and weights of London schoolchildren
showed that between 1947 and 1949 there had been an overall improvement
in physique. The findings of this survey may be summarised as follows:—
(1) Between 1938 and 1949 the average height of London school-children
increased by about 2 cm. (¾in.), and the average weight increased by about
0.8 kg. (1¾ lb.).
(2) Despite these substantial changes the pre-war relationship between weight
and height was generally maintained. By pre-war scales of growth, postwar
children appeared three months older than their true ages.
(3) Though the greater improvement has been in those districts which were
above average in 1938, there was a definite improvement in the worst
areas where war conditions produced greatest retardation and where it was
known that progress would be most difficult to achieve.
Cleanliness