MEDICAL INSPECTOR'S REPORT CRITICISED.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14978, 27 May 1914, Page 12

MEDICAL INSPECTOR'S REPORT CRITICISED.

CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION.

(PBESS >SSOCXA.nO-* IEI^EGBXM.) AUCKLAND, May 26

Considerable interest has been aroused by the report furnished Jast week to "the Wellington Education Board by Dr. Elizabeth • Gnnn, the medical inspector, regarding the health of children in tho various city and country schools. In particular much surprise has been expressed at Dr. Gunn's statement that in some schools no less than 50 per cent, of tho children wore suffering from malnutrition.

Some interesting criticisms of tho report wero given by Dr. G. L. Cawkwell, who recently retired from tho service of the Health Department in order to commence private practice. Dr. Cawkwell was engaged in medical inspection of schools in tho Auckland provinco from October, 11)12, to July, 1913, wbeu ho was removed from work, and sent to fight the epidemic in North Auckland. During his term of offioo Dr. Cawkwell personally examined 1736 children and presented a series of four reports to the Education Board on tho subject of tho hc-Alth of scholars. "I am quito sure," he said, "that Dr. Gunn't> statement regarding the prevalence of malnutrftioif in come schools is due to misunderstanding as to classification. In Auckland we agreed that the terms 'good,' 'medium,' and 'bad,' should be used in classifying the malnutrition of children, but Dr. Guun appears to have lumped nil cases of inferior nutrition under one head, which is manifestly unfair. Personally, 1 found that cases of marked malnutri tion totalled 5.7 per cent., and thoso of medium malnutrition 14 per cent., making nearly 20 per cent, altogether. These figures include both city and country schools, but I can safely cay that not even in tho worst schools I visiled did cases of malnutrition amount to 50 per cent, or anything like it. Such a stato of affairs might be found in tho slum schools of London, Edinburgh, or any other of the big cities at Home. I havo worked in English slums, and from my knowledge of tho conditions there I can say that thero is no comparison with anything to be found in New Zoalfmd. In'my inspections here I have found that "new arrivals from English towns aro almost invariably ill-nourished and much below tho average physique of the local schools.

"I am suro that not one per cent, of ill-nourished children in tho schools owo their condition to sheer lack of food. Unsuitable food, decayed teeth, and undue hurry in eating, are the most common causes. Too many children eat nothing but pastry, bread and jam, and starchy food of that sort for fhoir lunch, and that, too, in a hurry. This is. chiefly duo to carelessness or ignorance on the part of the parents. There ore very few Now Zealand families who cannot afford to buy good food and plenty of it, but the trouble is that mothers do not give their children the right- food prepared in the right "fay. Dental decay is undoubtedly rife in. this crnintry—9s per cent, of tho children I -inspected had it. in various degrees, and it seems to be very generally neglected. One wonders if parents ever look at their children's teeth until toothache calls their attention. Many of the boys, I found, knew nothing of _the use of the toothbrush, and preferred to have the tooth out rather than get it filled. Tho elder girls very often had gold fillings in their front teeth, evidontly because " they wero afraid for their beauty, but their other teeth were often badly decayed "'