View report page

267
All contacts of known cases of Tuberculosis are kept under
supervision and re-examined at each school medical inspection. 288
children were under such surveillance at the beginning of the year,
44 were added during the year, 42 were discharged, leaving 290
under observations at the end of the year.
Seventeen cases of pulmonary Tuberculosis and 8 cases of nonpulmonary
Tuberculosis in children of school age were notified to
the Medical Officer of Health during the year. Five children died
of pulmonary Tuberculosis and one of non-pulmonary Tuberculosis.
The ages at death of these cases were:—Pulmonary, 6 years, 12
years, 14 years and 15 years (two); Non-Pulmonary, 14 years.
The non-pulmonary death was certified to be due to Tuberculous
Meningitis.
Taking the total school population as 25,922, the mortality rate
from Pulmonary Tuberculosis in school children was 19.3 per
100,000, and the incidence rate 65.6 per 100,000. For Non-pulmonary
Tuberculosis the respective figures were 3.1 and 30.9.
Nose and Throat.
In all the groups 1,085 boys and 911 girls had enlarged tonsils;
53 boys and 39 girls had adenoids only; 431 boys and 338 girls
had adenoids and enlarged tonsils; 224 boys and 136 girls were
mouth breathers; 932 boys and 737 girls exhibited enlarged glands
in the neck.
Taking the two groups of cases of adenoids, and enlarged tonsils
with adenoids, as requiring operative measures, it is seen that 5.3
per cent. of all school children examined in the three groups were
in need of surgical attention to the throat and nose. The number
of children referred for adenoids and enlarged tonsils varies from
year to year within small limits. In 1934, dealing with another
group of children, the figure was 4.8 per cent. The importance of
training in correct meth0ds of breathing after the removal of
adenoids and tonsils cannot be too strongly emphasised. All cases
are invited to attend Breathing Exercises Classes held at St.
Andrew's Hall and 227 cases attended. This is 47 per cent. of
the children who were operated upon, and although rather better
then last year is a disappointing proportion. The distance of the
Remedial Exercises Clinic from the homes of the children, together
the dangers of traffic, played a part in deterring parents from
sending the children.