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212
FINDINGS AT ROUTINE MEDICAL INSPECTIONS.
Uncleanliness.
Special inspections are made by the school nurses from time
to time, into the cleanliness of scholars and the figures obtained
by them are naturally less satisfactory than those in Table XIII.
The cleanliness figures at routine medical inspections are
surprisingly good, inasmuch as only 0.3 per cent. of boys and 0.9
per cent. of girls inspected showed unsatisfactory head conditions,
and 0.5 per cent. of both boys and girls unsatisfactory body conditions.
These results are considerably better than last year's percentages.
The health visitors at their uncleanliness surveys made 357
inspections and at the primary inspections found vermin in 249,
and nits alone, in 2,256 children. On these inspections, as contrasted
with the routine medical inspections, 4.1 per cent. of the
children showed evidence of infestation as against 4.3 per cent. in
1929, 4.6 per cent. in 1928, and 4.9 per cent. in 1927. In connection
with these findings it must be stated that as children in unsatisfactory
families are subject to repeated examinations, they naturally
raise the total percentage found unclean. Uncleanliness is practically
limited to certain families, who become well known to the
teachers and health visitors.
Clothing and Footgear.
At routine medical inspections 99.0 per cent. boys and 98.8
per cent. girls were clothed and shod properly. Closer scrutiny has
been exerted by the medical inspectors and the findings are satisfactory.
Nutrition.
In the entrants 16.0 per cent. of the boys and 18.9 per cent. of
the girls were below average nutrition. In the intermediate 18.3
per cent. of the boys and 20.7 per cent. of the girls were under
average; in the leavers 10.9 per cent. boys and 12.4 per cent. girls,
giving in the whole school groups examined 16.3 per cent. of the
children as under average nutrition. The 8-9 year age group once
again showed the worst figures, a finding not uncommon but rather
difficult of adequate explanation.