View report page

86
NUTRITION.
Little change is noticeable under this heading in comparing
the figures with recent years, but it is satisfactory to
be able to report that taking the figures of the first two years,
1908 and 1909, there is a marked improvement. The general
condition of the children points to the fact that parents
recognise the importance of sending their children to school
well fed, although there are, of course, a number of children
who, on examination, have proved to be distinctly illnourished.
Sometimes this is the result of unsuitable food,
and in some cases I have no doubt conditions of poverty have
produced this effect. Nothing is of greater importance than
that children should be sent to school bodily fit to undergo
their school training, and I sometimes think it as a matter
of congratulation that so much good work is done when one
knows the condition of some of the homes. If we are to accept
the results with respect to heights and weights as evidence of
the degree of nutrition of the children, then Hendon may be
said to be slightly above the standard of the rest of the
country.
CLEANLINESS' AND CONDITIONS OF SKIN.
Under this heading are included all conditions of
verminous heads and bodies due to dirt. I am pleased to report
that a continued improvement has taken place ever since
the introduction of medical inspection. It is gratifying to
know that children are being better looked after in this respect
by the parents. Nothing can be more aggravating to
parents with clean children to know that their children run
the risk of sitting next to verminous children and thereby
contracting diseases. The percentage of dirty children has
dropped from 23 in 1908 to 8.6 in the year under review—a
truly remarkable decrease. Bad cases of skin disease, due to
dirt and carelessness, are unfortunately still to be found, but
we are hoping that our interviews with the parents will, as
time goes on, have beneficial results.