IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

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

IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

(I*BESS ASSOCIATrO!* TELFCRAVj

' ■ " • TIMARU, May 26. Dr. Eleanor Baker, medical inspector of schools, in her report to the bouth Canterbury Board, states that she examines 491 children in 17 schools, of whom 151 were special cases. Tho average physical state of tho children varied • greatly at tho different schools. One of the worst was the Timaru main school. Many were overcrowded, especially the Timaru main school and upper portion of the Timaru South school. Taken all round the schools were very dirty, according to a domestic standard. The playgrounds were often bare, desolate and untidy. Of the number of children examined (340), those with no defects numbered 24; defects other than d'-ntal 273; cases showing evidences of rralnutrition 78 (14 bad); obstructed breathing 115; enlarged glands 231; cases showing disease of skin 7 ; eye 5: ear 2; circulation 41; respiration 4(and 6 doubtful); nerves 1; tuberculosis 2 (and 6 doubtful); defective teeth 269; vision 40; hearing 21; speech 3: mental 2 (and 6 backward); deformation of shoulders 23; curvature 42; flat chest 18; pigeon breast 11; other diseases 13. Special mention was made in the report of "nine girls out of 234 suffering in a more or less n-arked degree, and many other children showing a suspicious fulness in the neck. This may be due to the well-water that is used for drinking." The Board is sending to the committees the paragraphs relating to the individual schools.