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10
It cannot be too often emphasised that cleanliness is the basis
of good health.
Without in the least slighting the enormous advances which
have been made in curative and preventative medicine, it must be
recognised by the public generally that the greatest things which
can diminish the present burden of ill-health, and the 'greatest
things which can promote health itself are not those which can
be done for the people, but those which can be done by the people,
and, amongst these, the elementary principles of cleanliness
represent perhaps the greatest factor we have in our control.
"Where there is dirt, there is danger," and dirt and disease
go hand in hand. A cleaner people will be a healthier and a happier
people, and the decline in uncleanliness, i.e., the promotion of
cleanliness, of which I am advised is a sign of the happiest moment.
Surveys under the above heading were carried out at (i)
routine medical inspections, and (ii) special inspections conducted
by the school nurses.
(i) At the former, 227 children out of a total of 2,249, or
10.09 per cent., had nits in their hair, while 1, or 0.04 per cent.,
had head or body vermin.
(ii) During the year the school nurses made 18,367 individual
investigations, compared with 17,952 in 1926, of which number
1955 children were found to have nits only, 121 harboured nits and
head vermin, whilst 5 had verminous bodies and clothing.
251 home visits in connection with uncleanliness were made
during the year.
As formerly, cases were seen at the School Clinic after exclusion
by nurses or teachers, of which number 67 had nits and 45
head or body vermin.
For purposes of these inspections the various schools are
divided between two school nurses, every school is fully
inspected during each term, and the results of these examinations
are as follows :—