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At the Health Centres there were specially inspected 2,323
children who were submitted by the head-teachers, school enquiry
officers or school nurses and of whom 921 attended for re-inspection.
Consequent on routine inspection 592 children were re-examined
on account of some defect previously found. There were thus
3,836 special inspections or re-inspections of children.
The total number of children attending public elementary
schools who were examined once at least during the year was
6,724. The average number of children on the school registers was
10,822. This means that 62.1 per cent. of the children on the
registers were medically examined during the year. The average
attendance at the schools was 87.8 per cent.
Findings of School Medical Inspection.
The number of defects noted on routine medical inspection at
the schools and on the special inspections or re-inspections are
given in Table II. Among the 4,401 routine children examined
there were 2,223 defects requiring treatment and 1,549 requiring
to be kept under observation without treatment ; and among 2,323
children specially examined there were found 2,087 defects requiring
treatment and 186 requiring to be kept under observation. Of the
4,401 children examined at the routine inspections, 837, or 19.0 per
cent., were found to require treatment for defective conditions
other than uncleanliness and dental disease.
(a) Uncleanliness.—The heads of all the girls attending
public elementary schools were inspected three times in the year
after the usual school holidays. Of the 20,720 children examined,
382, or 1.8 per cent., were excluded on account of verminous
condition. There were 55 other children with verminous heads
found at the routine medical inspection in the schools, and 61 found
at special inspections after being referred for examination by the
head-teachers. In addition one child was found to have verminous
condition of the body.