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68
"As regards the percentage of refusals, this is still slowly
moving in the right direction, showing a small drop on last year.
"Quite a large number of mothers attend the dental inspetions
at the schools and interest seems to be growing.
"Regarding the Maternity and Child Welfare work, 75 more
infants have been examined and 7 more treated this year than last.
"10 mothers less were inspected and 7 less treated, though
6 more dentures were supplied.
"Lectures to mothers and inspection of infants has been
continued at the Welfare Centres.
"In conclusion I should like to express my appreciation of
the very great help rendered by all concerned at the Clinic, and of
the help and co-operation of the Head Teachers."
(Sd.) P. SLATER.
UN CLEANLINESS.
Group V refers to Uncleanliness and Verminous conditions,
and the figures given in this group will show what a large portion
of the time of the nurses these conditions demand. There has been
a great improvement even in recent years, and when we compare
the conditions with those that obtained before the War the improvement
has been immense.
If the Tables giving the figures for the different schools be
examined, it will be observed that the highest percentage of infestation
is only 18.7, and that was in September. Only 10 years
ago, in two of the schools nearly two-thirds of the scholars had
either vermin or nits in their hair—the figures being 61.1% and
64.6% Several of the schools then had over 40% of the scholars
showing some sign or other of infestation.
There is room though for still further improvement, and as the
question has during the year been before the School Attendance
Committee, I am referring again to the matter in detail.
I have on former occasions expressed the opinion that, in
this district, school attendance is not the most important factor
in the spread of unclean conditions of the head and body.
The figures in all the schools are always worse in the ex
aminations which are made at the beginning of the term than they
are at the end of the term. The worst figures are usually obtained
at the commencement of the Winter Term, at the end of nearly
a five-weeks absence from school. As the term advances, an'im-