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151
(ii) Visual Defects = 24.57 per cent. Visual and dental defects
together account for no less than 50.16 per cent, of all the "Leavers"
defects. (In 1932 these defects made up 46.69 per cent, of all
defects.)
(iii) Subnormal Nutrition — 10.58 per cent.; and Malnutrition
(5 cases) = 0.85 per cent.
(iv) Other Defects and Diseases = 8.02 per cent.
(v) Deformities = 7.67 per cent. (10.54 per cent, in 1932).
(vi) Nose and Throat Defects = 6.99 per cent. (6.32 per cent.
in 1932).
(vii) Heart and Circulation = 5.63 per cent.
Rheumatism (5 cases) = 0.85 per cent.
cf. Heart and Circulation = 3.39 per cent, in the " Intermediates'
" Group and 3.07 per cent, in the " Entrants' " Group.
Rheumatic fever is a disease with " a long arm," and its evil
effect on the myocardium and endocardium of the heart may not
be at once apparent, yet in later years the patient may suffer
severely from the crippling effects of heart disease due to an unrecognised
smouldering rheumatic poison in childhood. These
percentages are of special importance and demonstrate the need
for a constant effort directed against this disease.
(viii) Ear Conditions = 5.10 per cent.
(ix) Skin Defects = 1.02 per cent.
(x) Speech Defects — 1.02 per cent.
In conclusion it is interesting to compare the average percentage
requiring treatment for each group in 1933 with the corresponding
figures for 1932 :—
1933. 1932.
(i) Intermediates 17.69% (i) Leavers 17.87%
(ii) Entrants 18.7% (ii) Entrants 24.34%
(iii) Leavers 19.68% (iii) Intermediates 27.36%
Uncleanliness.—At the special inspections held by the
school nurses for the detection of uncleanliness, 1,540 children
were found to be unclean out of a total number of 35,461 examined
(i.e., 4 per cent.).