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57
Eye.
In not quite 2 per cent. of the children examined some
external eye disease was noted.
The number of children with defective vision who
were recommended for spectacles, was 189; this number,
however, does not include all cases of defective vision, as
many children were found to be already provided with
spectacles at the time of the examination.
In all cases when vision was worse than 6/9 in either
eye, a recommendation was made that the child should be
provided with spectacles if this had not already been done.
Deformities.
In 15 children there was some deformity found at the
inspection.
In two cases among the entrants the deformity was
congenital; one, a boy aged 5 years and 11 months, had all
phalanges absent on the right hand, the metacarpal bones
were present, but very badly developed, while the wrist
and forearm appeared to be normally developed; the other
case was a girl aged 5 years and 8 months, in the righthand
the terminal phalanx of the thumb, and all phalanges
of the fingers were absent, while in the left hand the
thumb and fourth finger were perfect, but the two distal
phalanges on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers were absent,
the right side of the face was somewhat smaller than the
left, with slight muscular paresis.
The other deformities found were slight lateral curvature
of the spine, torticollis, talipes, genu valgum, and
some slight deformities of chest due to old rickets.
E.—General Review of the Relation of Home Circumstances
and Social and Industrial Conditions
to the Health and Physical Condition
of the Children Inspected.
The social and industrial conditions in the District
are, on the whole, good, and there is at present a demand
for workmen with practically no unemployment. The
large majority of the men are mechanics, and earn good
wages, so that the children, on the whole, are well fed.
There is plenty of open country in the District and around