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FINDINGS AT ROUTINE MEDICAL INSPECTIONS.
Uncleanliness.
For uncleanliness surveys the health visitors made 446 visits
to schools, a decrease of 143. At the primary inspections they
found vermin in 188 and nits alone in 1,562 children. On these
inspections, 3.1 per cent. of the children showed evidence of infestation
as against 3.4 in 1935 and 3.9 in 1934. 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.
During 1935 a new scheme was evolved and put into practice,
tightening up the whole of this work, and establishing a cleansing
station with an employee in charge. Previously, children found
verminous attended the Minor Ailments Clinic. The health visitors
now have the power to take children found to be persistently
verminous direct from the school to the Cleansing Station.
Authority for this step is provided by Section 87 (2) of the Education
Act, 1921. This has resulted in a welcome improvement in
the general level of cleanliness and has strengthened the hands of
the head teachers.
Clothing and Footgear.
At routine medical inspections 99.2 per cent. of the boys and
99.6 per cent. girls were clothed and shod properly. Close scrutiny
has been exerted by the medical inspectors and the findings are
satisfactory.
Nutrition.
In the Entrants 8.6 per cent. of the boys and 7.9 per cent.
of the girls were below normal nutrition for the area. In the Intermediate
group 8.6 per cent. of the boys and 8.3 per cent. of the
girls were under average; in the Leavers' group 3.2 per cent. of the
boys and 5.3 per cent. girls, giving in the whole school groups
examined 8.2 per cent. boys and 7.5 per cent. girls.
The words Nutrition and Malnutrition vary greatly in their
significance and meaning with the persons making the investigations,
and the lack of any universally recognised standard, or group
of criteria, is a heavy handicap, and renders accurate comparisons
between groups of children in different areas, impossible. Heights
and weights alone are insufficient. Malnourished children may
actually weigh as much as properly nourished children. The whole
" make up," physical and mental, must be assessed on identical
lines—a matter of no small difficulty. Meanwhile, until some more