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50
VERMINOUS CONDITIONS.
SCABIES.
During the year 1948, 12 new cases of scabies were treated at
the Health Centre. This figure includes school children, and compares
very favourably with 66 new cases treated in 1947 and 337
new cases in 1946.
HEAD LICE.
The following figures serve to indicate the position for the year
under review:—
Children.
Total number of inspections of children made in the
schools by the School Nurses 7671
Number of individual children found to be unclean at
above 78
Proportion of children found unclean at all inspections 1.02%
Number successfully cleansed by parent or guardian
without requiring exclusion for more than 24
hours 68
Number excluded for longer than 24 hours 10
Number of cases in which legal proceedings were taken
(a) Under the Education Act, 1944 Nil.
(b) Under the School Attendance Byelaws Nil.
Adults.
No adults were referred to the Health Centre for treatment
during the year.
There has been a really remarkable decline in the incidence of
scabies and infestation by head lice. The number of individual
children found to be unclean was 78 compared with 239 in 1947.
This reduction in incidence has become apparent in spite of the
fact that nearly 1,000 more inspections were carried out by the
School Nurses.
A high proportion of the 78 children who were found to be
unclean are old offenders. The marked improvement must be due
to improved social conditions; to energetic action by the School
Medical Service, and to the efficiency of the materials now being
used to treat infestation,