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Of the 3,623 children examined, only 493 cleaned their teeth
regularly, 790 cleaned them occasionally, 2,339 did not clean
them at all. The School Nurse has persuaded many to use a
tooth brush, but the parents cannot be made to see that decay
in the temporary teeth of their children is important, neither
can they, in many case=, afford to have the permanent teeth
stopped when these decay.
Ear Discharge and Defective Hearing.—131 children were
found to be suffering from these defects.
A running from the ears is often considered to be a matter
of no importance ; as a matter of fact it may lead to deafness,
and at times even proves fatal by causing abscess of the brain
or other serious complication.
Defective hearing is very important from an educational
point of view. Dull and backward children are often found
to have defective hearing, which is the real cause of the unsatisfactory
mental condition.
Frequent causes of defective hearing are Adenoids and
enlarged tonsils, ear discharge, wax or other matters in the ear.
Clothing and Boots.— In connection with clothing the
following classification was adopted. Children sufficiently clad
and with woollen undergarments were termed good. Those
sufficiently clad, but with cotton under-garments were called
medium. Those whose clothing was insufficient to maintain
the heat of the body were termed deficient.
Many cases were found where the clothing was very
excessive, such children being in a constant state of perspiration,
and even hampered in their movements owing to the
enormous number of garments they were wearing.
The following table summarises the conditions found in
connection with Clothing and Boots:—