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(f) Ear Disease and Defective Hearing.—One case of
defective hearing, 6 of otitis media and 11 other conditions of
the ear requiring treatment, and 2 cases of defective hearing
and one other condition requiring to be kept under observation,
were found at routine medical inspection. Special inspections
discovered 2 cases of defective hearing, 90 of otitis media, and 67
of other conditions of the ear requiring treatment and two cases
of defective hearing, and two cases of otitis media to be kept under
observation.
(g) Dental Defects.—Table IV, Group 5, on page 103,
gives details of the defects found by the school dentists on the
occasion of their visits to the schools, while further information
on this subject is to be found in the report of Mr. C. Colenso,
the School Dentist, on page 81.
(h) Orthopaedic and Postural Defects.—The number of
crippled children under supervision at the end of the year was 30.
These were all children suffering from a degree of crippling
sufficiently severe to interfere materially with their normal mode
of life. Twenty-eight were in attendance at public elementary
schools, one was in the West Middlesex Hospital, while the remaining
child was at home.
Medical inspection during the year revealed twelve children
requiring treatment for spinal curvature and 178 for other orthopaedic
and postural defects, while 302 defects requiring observation
were noted.
(i) Heart Disease and Rheumatism.—During the year there
were found in the course of routine and special inspections thirty
children suffering from organic and twenty from functional affection
of the heart and, in addition, 48 cases of rheumatism.
Particular attention is given to children suffering from organic
disease of the heart or those having a history of having suffered
from rheumatism which is the main cause of heart disease. They
attend the Health Centre at short intervals for examination,
and the parents receive detailed advice regarding care and treatment
while the teachers are given special instructions regarding their
supervision in school.