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156
SCARLET FEVER.
A troublesome minor epidemic of Scarlet Fever occurred
in the Autumn at one of our schools, and affected the Girls' and
Infants' Departments, more particularly the latter. I made
many visits to the schools and examinations of the scholars, to
try and find if any child in an infectious state was attending either
or both of these departments; and although I excluded several
children on suspicion I could find no undoubted case, and fresh
cases continued to occur. Enquiry amongst the teachers and the
caretaker failed to elucidate the matter.
I then recommended the Committee to have the school
thoroughly cleansed from top to bottom throughout the three
departments; they adopted this recommendation, and closed the
school for one day for this purpose. After this was done the
epidemic came to an end.
MENTALLY DEFECTIVE.
We have not at present any special school for these cases;
but when our two new schools—Canterbury Road and Sybourn
Street—are opened, it is likely that High Road School, or a portion
of it, will be set apart for this purpose.
Twenty-seven mentally defective children were found in the
course of inspection during the year.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Among the entire number of children examined during the
year, 76 cases suffering from various forms of Tuberculosis were
found, which represents a percentage of 1.3.
Only 19 cases of Tuberculosis of Lungs were met with, or a
percentage of .37, which agrees with observations frequently
made that Tubercular Disease of the Lungs is not common
amongst children. Tuberculosis of the Cervical Glands was detected
in 45 cases, or in .89 per cent. However, only in cases in which