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64
This is especially the case with regard to a low "B" or a
high "C"
When going into the causes of the subnormal nutrition,
rather confusing results were obtained. The living conditions
and probable feeding of the children were enquired into, and
it was found that many of the C Group (and some of the D
Group) came from families in quite comfortable circumstances,
whereas many children in Group B came from families where
financial circumstances must make it extremely difficult for
them to be provided with adequate food and yet they appear
to be well nourished and healthy. The Divisional Officer for
this area sent a questionnaire on this subject to all Head
Teachers and the return showed that "334 pupils, who though
not apparently suffering from malnutrition, belong to families
known to be living on or near the poverty line, e.g., father
unemployed, in receipt of poor law relief, maintaining large
family on small wages, etc."
A comprehensive report is being prepared by the Divisional
Officer, containing the proposal that provision of "Free Meals"
be started in this area. In the meantime an extension of the
Free Milk Scheme was put into operation immediately, and in
addition cod liver oil is given in appropriate cases. These last
two measures should be adequate for quite a number of the
C Group.
In addition there were children referred for Special
Inspection by the Nurses or Head Teachers with the view to
providing them with free milk.
(b) Uncleanliness.—Fifteen cases were seen at Routine
Inspections and six at .Special Inspections.
Those found at the Routine Inspections were very mild,
as children are kept under supervision by the School Nurses
at Personal Hygiene Inspections and excluded from School.
Those cases seen at Special Inspections were all of a serious
degree, and had been referred to the Clinic by the Nurses.
They were all dealt with satisfactorily without the necessity of
taking legal proceedings.
During the year the Nurses made 269 visits to the schools
for personal hygiene inspections, an average of 13 visits per
school. They made 25,366 examinations, viz. 23,794 inspections
and 1,572 re-inspections. Defects were found in 1,343 instances
and the number of individual children found to be unclean was
341, as against 333,371, 372 and 399 in 1937, 1936 1935 and
1934 respectively.