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64
the family doctor. Where the parents are very poor they
are directed to take the child to the town hospital or an eye
dispensary. To this dispensary the municipality contributes
a certain sum in payment of the work undertaken. Similarly
with every other condition requiring treatment, the parents
are advised, inquiry is afterwards made as to steps taken, and
if nothing has been done further inquiry is made, and the
child is ultimately attended to. The purpose of the inspection
is not to treat, but to discover. But indirectly the steady
pressure put on the parents ultimately results in treatment.
Every defect discovered is entered on the schedule, with the
date of the examination. The portfolio of schedules is then
handed back to the teacher who is responsible for its
safekeeping. He hands it on to the teacher of the next class
when the time comes for the passing of the class to the
next stage."
SCARLET FEVER.
From the table of infectious diseases, it will be seen
that there were 184 cases of Scarlet Fever notified attending
the various schools. This number involved the exclusion of
289 contacts, or other children from the same house who
were excluded for longer or shorter periods. If the patient
suffering from the disease is sent to the Hospital, the other
children are excluded from school for a period of seven days
from the date of house disinfection. If, on the other hand,
the child is nursed at home, the other children are excluded
from school until a week after the house has been disinfected.
In this way the nursing of a case of Scarlet Fever at home
involves a serious loss of schooling to the other children
in the house. Of the cases notified, 70.2 per cent. were
removed to the Isolation Hospital. If the table be examined
it will be seen how evenly the disease has been distributed
all over the district, looking at the number of cases
notified in connection with each school, and also the