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(d) Ear Disease.
80 children, or 1.1 per cent. of those examined during routine
inspection, had markedly defective hearing, and 25 (0.3 per cent.)
showed evidence of a notable degree of ear disease.
(e) Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids.
Of the children examined during routine inspection, 669 (9.2
per cent.) had enlarged tonsils and adenoids requiring treatment,
and a further 98 (1.3 per cent.) had other markedly unhealthy
conditions of the naso-pharynx, while 210 (2.9 per cent.) were
affected in slighter degree.
(f) Lymphatic Glands.
In 19 children, seen as routine cases, the cervical glands were
enlarged to an extent needing treatment, while in 14 other cases,
the children were kept under observation.
(g) Dental Disease.
726 children (10 per cent.) were referred for treatment on
account of dental decay. This is, however, far from presenting
an accurate picture of the prevalence of dental caries among
school children. The school dentists, examining the six-year-old
children with mirror and probe, found during the year that some
83 per cent. of the children needed dental treatment. In a considerable
proportion of these, the decay is such as to produce
steady absorption into the child's system of a flow of infectious
matter from the teeth. This damages the body, partly by its direct
poisoning effect, and partly by injuring the lymphatic glands,
which normally filter off harmful germs from the throat, thus
leaving the system open to attacks by the organisms of tuberculosis,
rheumatic fever, and other grave diseases. The dental
scheme, which the Committee is shortly to extend, is thus a potent
factor in the prevention of future ill-health and disease in the
child.
(f) Heart and Circulation.
The number of children found to be in need of treatment for
organic heart disease was comparatively small (22), but a considerable
number (71) were found to be the subjects of heart
disease, which had reached a stage of balance, and were placed
under observation.
179 children, or 2.5 per cent., were referred for treatment
on acoount of anaemia.
(i) Diseases of tae Lungs (non-tuberculous) were in 29 children
(0.4 per cent.) found sufficiently marked to need treatment.