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A re-inspection has followed each routine inspection after a period of approximately
three months.
The age groups selected for inspection are those laid down by the Board of Education,
viz.:—
1. All new entrants (5 year old children).
2. Second Age Group (8 year old children).
3. Third Age Group (12 year old children).
4. Other Routine Inspections.
Children attending the Spring Grove Central School are examined yearly.
The total number of routine medical inspections carried out during the year was
4,057, an increase of well over 1,000 on last year's figure. As anticipated in my Report for
1931, many more sessions have had to be devoted to School Medical Inspection during 1932,
and towards the end of the year it was necessary to engage extra medical assistance for this
purpose.
Disturbance of School Arrangements.
No one supposes that the ordinary school curriculum is not disorganised to some extent
by the needs of medical inspection, especially where all the available accommodation is
required for educational purposes. The Head Teachers of the district, however, are to be
congratulated upon the arrangements they make under such difficult conditions, and I should
like to place on record once again my appreciation of the fact that the inspecting Medical
Officer is always made as comfortable as circumstances permit.
5 FINDINCS OF MEDICAL INSPECTIONS.
(a). Uncleanliness.
The number of cases discovered at routine medical inspections was 116, and special
medical inspections at the Clinics revealed a further 639 cases.
Three hundred and seventy-five children were excluded from school during the year on
account of nits or vermin.
(b). Tonsils and Adenoids.
Three hundred and sixty-six children were found to be suffering from enlarged tonsils,
and of these 169 were referred for operation and 197 for observation.
Thirty-three children had Adenoids only, 15 being referred for treatment and 18 for
observation.
In a further 280 cases both conditions were present, 185 children being referred for
operation and 95 for observation.
(c). Tuberculosis.
One child examined during routine medical inspection was marked for observation as
a case of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis.
Special inspections revealed one definite case of pulmonary tuberculosis and 4 suspected
cases. One suspected case of tubercular hip was also found.
(d). Skin disease.
A total of 399 cases of various skin diseases were reported during the year, and, with
the exception of three cases, all were referred for treatment. As usual, impetigo was the
commonest disease, accounting for nearly half of this year's total. Table II. shows that there
were 192 cases of "Other skin disease." These include such conditions as eczema, alopecia^
seborrhoea, etc.
(e). External Eye Disease.
Thirteen cases of minor disease of the eye, including 8 cases of blepharitis and 2 of
conjunctivitis, were discovered at routine medical inspections.
In addition, 201 cases, including 26 of blepharitis and 73 of conjunctivitis, were discovered
at the Special Clinics.
(/). Defective Vision and Squint.
Routine medical inspections revealed 250 cases of defective vision, 181 being referred
for treatment. Seven cases of squint were also discovered, 5 being referred for treatment.
At the Special Clinics, 110 cases of defective vision and 4 of squint were referred for
treatment.
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