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175
Of 114 children who attended the foot clinic for treatment of
plantar warts during 1936-37, the number of girls (85) was almost
three times as great as the number of boys (29).
School Class Distribution.
In one school, in which 3 per cent. of all pupils suffered from
plantar warts, 80.7 per cent. of the affected children were in one
classroom. Such a high percentage grouped in one class was
exceptional, but it was customary to find from 50 per cent. to
60 per cent. of affected children in a particular school grouped in
one classroom. In that particular class there was always to be
found one child who had been suffering from plantar warts for a
period of from 4 to 6 months previously.
Possible Predisposing Causes.
Malnutrition.
There is no reliable standard for the estimation of the state of
nutrition, and no steps were taken to investigate the financial and
social circumstances of each child ; but careful attention was paid
to these circumstances. The majority of the children were apparently
well nourished, and there was no evidence that children
from poor homes were more liable to develop plantar warts. On
consulting the figures of individual schools it is found that similar
percentage incidence rates are found in schools situated in both
the poorer and the better class parts of the Borough.
Colour.
It was also found that blondes and brunettes were affected in
almost equal proportion.
Condition of Skin.
There are certain skin troubles which affect persons with
abnormally dry skin, and others which affect people with moist
skin ; and attention was given to the condition of the skin of the
soles of the feet.
Of 258 children affected, the following are the findings:—
Skin abnormally moist 20 (7 per cent.)
„ ,, dry 1 (0.4 per cent.)
„ apparently normal 237 (91 per cent.)