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UNCLEANLINESS. Parallel with the nutritional surveys,
and usually conducted at the same time, are surveys for cleanliness.
The numbers found to be infested at these surveys are
augmented by others found at routine or special medical
inspections.
While the onus of cleansing is upon the parents—and
children found to be infested are followed up until the school
nurse is satisfied that they are clean—a certain number are
treated at school clinics with a preparation containing D.D.T.
During the year, 36,161 inspections were made at these
surveys, and 2,745 instances of infestation found, a percentage
of 7.59. Many of these instances are recurrent infestations in
the same children, and these persistent offenders provide the
School Health Service with one of its most difficult problems.
RINGWORM. The number of cases of ringworm of the
scalp treated during the year was 24. Sixteen of them were
referred to the London Hospital for X-ray treatment under the
Authority's standing arrangement.
MINOR AILMENTS. The treatment of minor ailments is
undertaken at the school clinics. The total number of conditions
treated at these clinics during the year was 7,753. Following
is an analysis of this figure: —
External Eye Diseases 559
Minor Ear Defects 480
Skin Diseases 2,432
Miscellaneous Defects 4,282

EXTERNAL EYE DISEASES AND VISUAL DEFECTS.
The number of cases of external eye disease which received
treatment at the minor ailment clinics during the year 1946 was
68