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14
Heart Disease.—The number of cases of Organic Heart Disease
coming under observation this year is only half that for last year; there being
30 cases last year, and 14 this year.
Theoretically this number should be fairly constant, as all heart cases
should be under observation (some, of course, perhaps requiring treatment),
either as routine or special cases.
Diseases of the Lungs. (Non-Tubercular).—The commonest of
these will always be Bronchitis, and this complaint will always be responsible
for a certain number of absentees in the infant departments. Given a few
bad days of fog with an impure atmosphere, the number of cases of bronchitis
rapidly goes up.
Another potent cause is an outbreak of Influenza, but we have been fairly
free from this complaint during the past year.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis.—The age of the School Child, 5 to 14
years, is a period of life during which the incidence of consumption is low.
Few cases are found, and in many, the symptoms are not characteristic.
The Tuberculosis Dispensary is in Silver Street, near the School Clinic,
and all doubtful cases are referred to the Tuberculosis Officer.
Further details are mentioned under Treatment.
Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis.—Enlargement of the glands of the
neck in children is fairly common, and it is possible that tuberculosis is a more
frequent cause than one suspects. One can only be certain of the diagnosis
when the inflammatory trouble has so far persisted as to cause changes outside
the gland, and it is likely that, in some cases, the trouble is arrested before
reaching that stage. Eleven cases recognised as glandular tuberculosis came
under observation.
Nervous System.—Epilepsy is not a common condition ; whilst Chorea
furnished 12 cases, the same number as last year.
"Other Nervous" conditions will remain with us so long as mothers
practice suggestion, by constantly reiterating a string of symptoms supposed to
be of nervous origin in the child's ears.