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40
Section 21 (Rickets) reflects, I think, the condition of infant
life as it exists in the modern urban population, and the numbers
n the column will probably diminish if the efforts now going on
all over the country, and in Barking too, with regard to infant
feeding and management are persisted in.
Home surroundings total up fairly well—only 67 out of the
total are said to be unsatisfactory.
BOYS AND GIRLS.
With regard to the boys and girls I do not propose to weary
you with details—they are set out fully in the tables both as to age
and schools. I will refer only to the question of the teeth and eyes.
Out of 140 boys examined I find 29 had abnormal vision.
This does not mean that of necessity these 29 need spectacles; that
point and the spectacles required can only be settled by a qualified
oculist—not optician. I have myself attended to some of the
worst cases and procured the spectacles, and a few have gone to
the Hospital. The number remaining for attention should be
ascertained.
I found 53 cases amongst the girls, and what I have said
with respect to the boys applies equally to the girls.
They were all tested with Snellen's types at 6 metres, and my
own glasses were used.
The condition of the teeth in many cases was bad, but I feel
bound to say not nearly so bad as I expected. 77 boys out of 140,
and 116 girls out of 197, needed attention.