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verminous does not sensibly decline, although the actual verminous conditions
are greatly reduced. This is especially the case with regard to
verminous conditions of the hair. The detection of one or two nits is
sufficient to stigmatize the child as verminous. It seems harsh, but unless
such a high standard is fixed, no workable standard can be set at all.
We believe it can be attained and we aim at it. Thus, the number of
children found to be unclean in 1925 was approximately the same as in
the preceding year, viz., 2,847 in 1925, 2,918 in 1924. That 165 children
have been cleansed under arrangements made by the Local Education
Authority, compared with 78 in the previous year, might suggest a falling
off in the matter of cleanliness of body and clothing. This would not
be strictly true. The increased number is due to the efforts of one of the
nurses to rid the schools, over which she exercises supervision, of all
evidence of vermin. The result has been that she herself cleansed the
hair of 110 of the 165 children noted. The complexion of some of the
schools, however, has been materially altered since building operations
were commenced a year or two ago. This is especially noticeable in the
neighbourhood of the London County Council Estate. Any falling off in
the condition of cleanliness in the schools is due to the importation of
dishoused families from the London area, but already there has been a
noticeable improvement. With regard to nits, cutting off of all the hair
is seldom now required. The custom of girls to wear the hair short makes
it less liable to verminous infestation, and the constant supervision by
the nurses causes the children and their parents to be vigilant against
gross infestation. At the worst only a few strands require
removal. The use of the hygienic comb at home has had a material
influence on reducing the incidence of verminous conditions of the hair.
(b) Minor Ailments.
The number of defects discovered during 1925 was very similar to
the 1924 figures.
The impression is conveyed, by a comparison of the figures for the
two years, that when provision is made for a particular type of ailment,
cases coming within the type appear to be discovered more frequently.
For instance, a class was established for stammerers in March, 1925,
and whereas in 1924 the number of speech defects discovered at inspections
was 12, in 1925 it was 46. I do not consider stammerers increased
fourfold within the year, but prefer to believe that the fact of provision
having been made for their treatment led to a more thorough search for
children who could benefit therefrom.