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153
By inculcating the extension of the usefulness of the wash-tub
the expense of providing disinfectors, costly apparatus for the
cleansing of verminous persons, &c., &c., might be lessened to
municipalities, and lessons of self-help brought home to the
individual.
As regards footgear, boots always seem to be a source of great
trouble among the poorer classes; and no doubt to a man with a
large family, earning only labourer's wages, boots are a very serious
item. I frequently see children wearing old, improperly-made and
ill-fitting boots, many sizes too large for them, originally made for
and previously worn by men and women. Such boots tend to the
deformity and crippling of the feet, to the formation of corns and
bunions, hammertoes and the like. Such unnatural conditions in
their higher degrees are forms of inefficiency which disqualify men
for the Services; they mar personal comfort; and they handicap
both men and women in the race of life.
In Leyton a good deal is done by raising voluntary subscriptions
to provide boots to the most needy. The school teachers
get up concerts for this purpose. Councillors Slade and D. M.
Smith are particularly active in this work; and it is pleasing
to note that the latter gentleman in the course of his business
transactions was able to interest the great Antarctic Explorer,
Sir Ernest Shackleton, in the good work, with the result that the
fund benefitted to the extent of £20 through the latter's generosity.
NUTRITION.
The nutrition in 78 per cent. of all children examined is described
as good, that of 18 per cent. indifferent, and 3.7 per cent. as bad.
The standards adopted were somewhat empirical, and the personal
factor enters largely into the estimate. Thus:—When the child was
apparently well favoured and the tone of the muscles satisfactory,
the condition was described as "good," without respect to the
relations of height, weight and age; if there was any degree of
emaciation the condition was described as "bad;" all intermediate
states coming under the heading of " indifferent."