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46
Ear Disease and Hearing.
(h) As noted elsewhere, 8 (g), ear disease and defective hearing
are very prevalent amongst school children, and form a large
proportion of the treatment cases at the clinics. During routine
inspection 43 cases of Otitis Media were found, while no fewer
than 339 were seen at the clinics. Defective hearing was present
in 187 cases seen at routine inspection, while 114 cases of similar
defect were seen at the clinics.
Dental Defects.
(i) See report of Dental Surgeon, page 72.
Crippling Defects.
(j) During the year a census of school children suffering from
crippling defects was taken, when it was found that 107 school
children were so affected. Full details are given under paragraph
22, page 65.
6. INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
A comprehensive scheme is in force in the Borough whereby
there is active co-operation between the Medical Officers and the
school teachers, school nurses and attendance officers, with
view to preventing the spread of infectious disease.
In this scheme are included the notifiable and non-notifiable
infectious diseases, together with the contagious skin and eye
affections.
Each case of notified disease is regarded as possibly connected
with other cases of the same disease which, owing to their mildness
or the absence of some of the characteristic symptoms, have
been overlooked by the parent or teacher, or both.
Inquiries are therefore made at the patient's home and into
the condition of the children who have been in contact at school
with the scholar who has fallen ill.
Teachers are instructed in the symptoms of onset of the chief
infectious diseases and are directed temporarily to exclude children
showing any symptoms suggestive of any of these diseases until
medical assurance can be had that they may attend school without
harm to themselves or danger to others.