H.—3l

33

There have been during the year several resignations and fresh appointments in the schoolnursing service. The routine work of school medical officers and school nurses was interrupted for several weeks during the winter by epidemics of influenza and of diphtheria. (2.) Figures relating to Work accomplished. The following summary serves to indicate the extent of the work accomplished during the year :— Schools inspected— Of roll under 100 .. .. .. .. .. 711 Of roll 100 to 500 .. .. .. .. .. 262 Of roll 500 and over .. .. .. .. .. 127 . Children examined :— 1,100 Complete examinations .. .. .. .. 64,446 Partial examinations .. .. .. .. .. 38,497 102,943 Notifications sent to parents relating to defects requiring treatment .. 32,364 Health talks given to school-children .. .. .. .. .. 1,032 Parents interviewed .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,659 Public lectures and addresses to parents .. .. .. .. 39 The figures for the work of the school nurses are as follows :— Number of days assisted medical officer in schools .. .. .. 1,535 Number of days engaged wholly in clerical work .. .. .. 1,553 Number of children examined for medical schedule .. .. .. 66,003 Number of children re-examined after inspection of medical officer .. 35,201 Number of visits to homes in— Large towns .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,047 Small country districts . . .. .. .. .. .. 2,839 Scattered districts .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,547 Number of children taken personally to hospital .. .. .. 316 Number of children taken personally to dental clinic .. .. .. 1,182 (3.) Findings of Medical Inspection. Total number of children examined .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 64,446 Percentage found to have no defects .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12-13 Percentage found to have defects .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87-87 Percentage with defects other than dental .. .. .. .. .. .. 65-78 Percentage showing evidence of — Subnormal nutrition .. .. 6-39 Mouth, teeth—■ Pediculosis .. .. .. 3-26 Fillings .. .. . . 18-52 Uncleanliness .. .. .. 2-29 Perfect sets of teeth .. .. 4-74 Skin— Nose and throatImpetigo .. .. .. 1-13 Enlarged tonsils .. .. 11-97 Scabies .. .. .. 1-04 Obstructed nasal breathing .. 1-07 Ringworm .. .. .. 0-18 Enlarged cervical glands .. .. 13-74 Other skin-diseases .. .. 0-67 Goitre, all degrees .. .. .. 13-81 Non-vaccination .. .. .. 84-74 Incipient .. .. .. 10-57 Heart abnormality .. .. .. 1-03 Small .. . . .. 2-72 Respiratory diseases .. .. 0-59 Medium .. .. .. 0-47 Total deformities of trunk and chest .. 21-96 Large . . .. .. 0-05 Stooped shoulders .. .. 5-78 Eye, external eye-disease .. '.. 1-07 Flat chest— Vision— Undefined .. .. .. 0-30 Total .. .. .. 4-78 True .. .. .. 0-69 Corrected .. .. .. 1-61 Postural .. .. ..1-68 Uncorrected .. .. ..3-17 Scoliosis .. .. .. 1-08 Ear — Pigeon breast .. .. .. 5-03 Middle-ear disease .. .. 0-25 Depressed ribs .. .. .. 3-22 Defective hearing .. .. 0-55 Depressed sternum .. ' .. 4-14 Defective speech .. .. .. 0-82 Assymmetrical chest .. .. 0-54 Mental — Other deformities .. .. .. 0-85 Feeble-mindedness .. .. 0-15 Deformation of jaw and palate .. 11-18 Imbecility .. .. .. 0-01 Mouth, teeth—' Epilepsy .. .. .. .. 0-05 Dental caries . . .. .. 68-98 Tuberculosis . . .. .. 0-06 Extraction of permanent teeth . . 7-65 These results do not differ greatly from those found in previous years. An analysis of the figures affords favourable comparison with other countries in the percentage of children found to be suffering from conditions such as defective eyesight, defective hearing, obstruction to breathing from pressure of enlarged tonsils, adenoids, &c. ; also in the numbers found to be suffering from heart and respiratory diseases.

5—H. 31.