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disease, i.e. that it is a complaint of slight practical infectiveness
making its way among children with considerable slowness and
difficulty, but at occasional intervals it may become epidemic.
Ringworm in school children occurs in two forms.
Tinea Circinata or Ringworm of the body.
Tinea Tonsurans or Ringworm of the scalp.
In each case the Ringworm is due to a specific fungus
which spreads rapidly in families and schools. Fair-haired
children are more susceptible and are more difficult to cure
The disease is rare in children over 14 but common under
10.
The Ringworm of the body is a different variety from that
of the scalp and more easy to cure. This kind is always
treated by drugs and a cure can easily be effected within seven
days if the parents will take the required pains and carry out
instructions.
In Ringworm of the Scalp great perseverance is required as the
fungus grows down into the roots of the hair and cases are
easily missed which act as entries for the spread of infection to
other scholars.
The conditions of spread of ringworm are various. It may
be transmitted by direct contagion from one human being to
another, or sometimes from an animal to a human being.
It may also be conveyed by indirect contagion by infected
brushes or caps. Probably this is a potent source of infection
among the school children where small children take the wrong
cap by mistake. The present fashion in hats adds to difficulty
in treatment—the round wool "aviation" cap is exceedingly
popular—any infected broken hairs cling to the surface of the
"wool and as the cap has no special position in wearing, a fresh
portion of the scalp may be daily infected by a small patch of
ringworm.