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15
is often very troublesome. The nurse would recognise these
cases in children at school and they could be excluded before
they had spread the disease to cleaner children.
DEFECTIVE CHILDREN.
The physically defective children found on inspection of
the schools were thirty-two. Twenty of these are now
being taught at the Guild House School in Church Road by a
specially qualified teacher. The room has been made light
and bright by the insertion of two large windows at the side.
Special desks, hammock chairs, and reclining chairs have
been provided, and the class is making good progress.
The mentally defective children number thirty-three, and
separate class rooms will soon be ready for some of these
cases. At present some are at home and some are in the
general schools which is neither good for them nor the other
scholars.
Epileptic children are few in number and can be best
treated in special institutions.
The consumptive children are unprovided for and are
kept at home. A special open-air school is much needed for
the ten known bad cases and possibly for certain others at
present in the general schools.
One hundred and twenty-one children were found to have
grossly defective vision. These children were unable to read
the blackboard clearly, or read from ordinary books, or suffered
from considerable degrees of squint. Unless supplied with
proper glasses these children can only benefit by a small part of
the education provided for them. Probably 40 per cent. of
the cost is wasted upon them. I think it would be possible to
find a surgeon occulist who would undertake the examination
of the eyes of the children, at a nominal charge if a properly
fitted room and apparatus were provided for his use. The
experience gained would lead to more lucrative work and there
must be many young surgeons who would be glad to accept
such an appointment.
In most cases the parents could purchase glasses themselves,
and for those who are too poor, I feel sure it is only
necessary to mention the want and a charitable society would
be formed to assist those who had not the means to provide
glasses, which in some cases would cost a considerable
amount.