H.—3l.

Summary of Complete Examinations. European. Maori. Number of children examined .. .. .. .. 58,035 3,730 Percentage found to have defects .. .. .. 66-47 83-48 Percentage with defects other than dental .. .. 48-17 56-70 Percentage of children showing evidence of — Subnormal nutrition .. .. .. .. 3-52 5-17 Pediculosis .. .. .. .. .. 0-48 7-02 Uncleanliness .. .. .. .. .. 0-74- 1-77 Skin — Impetigo .. .. .. .. .. 0-78 3-99 Scabies .. .. .. .. .. 0-50 17-34 Ringworm .. .. .. .. .. 0-23 0-16 Other skin-diseases .. .. .. .. 1-05 0-91 Heart — Organic disease .... .. .. .. 0-54 0-43 Functional disturbance .. .. .. 0-67 0-40 Respiratory disease . . . . . . . . 1-00 2-60 Total physical deformities .. .. .. .. 11-00 8-97 Mouth— Deformities of jaw or palate, including irregularity 2-70 3-16 Dental caries .. .. .. .. 32-29 53-91 Extractions of permanent teeth .. .. 5-06 3-27 Fillings .. .. .. .. .. 55-51 20-56 Perfect sets of teeth .. .. .. .. 4-98 14-21 Nose and throat — Nasal obstruction .. . . .. .. 3-53 1-39 Enlarged tonsils .. .. .. .. 15-23 15-74 Enlarged glands .. .. .. .. .. 5-08 7-72 Goitre — All degrees .. .. .. .. .. 15-12 4-49 Incipient .. .. .. .. .. 10-30 2-81 Small .. .. .. .. .. 4-36 1-39 Medium .. .. .. .. .. 0-39 0-21 Large .. .. .. .. .. 0-07 0-08 EyeExternal eye disease .. .. .. .. 1-56 1-10 Total defective vision .. .. .. .. 3-99 1-88 Corrected .. .. .. .. .. 2-18 0-27 Uncorrected .. .. .. .. .. 1-81 1-61 Ear — Otorrhoea .. .. .. .. .. 0-17 0-67 Defective hearing .. .. .. .. 0-46 1-18 Defective speech .. .. .. .. .. 0-53 0-16 Mental— Feeble-mindedness .. .. .. .. 0-34 0-05 Epilepsy .. .. .. .. .. 0-03 Other nervous defects .. .. .. .. 0-19 0-27 Tuberculosis — Total .. .. .. .. .. 0-04 0-27 Pulmonary .. .. .. .. .. 0-02 0-19 Other tissues .. .. .. .. 0-02 0-08 The number of parents interviewed by School Medical Officers has increased, 14,984 being seen this year, as against 14,512 in 1936, and this in a year when two to three months was lost owing to the poliomyelitis epidemic. Dr Heycock writes : " Parents appear more anxious for the opinion of the School Medical Service on their children's health, and more willing to follow out the line of treatment suggested." Dr. Boyd states : " Parents are coming along in increasing numbers. My practice, during medical examination of the children when parents are present, is to give numerous ' lecturettes,' the condition of the individual child being the text on which my remarks are based." Co-operation with the Crippled Children Society still continues in regard to arrangements made for the welfare of individual children Personal Hygiene. —All School Medical Officers remark on the improvement in the clothing, cleanliness, and appearance of the children. This is borne out by the decreased percentage of children suffering from uncleanliness and skin diseases.

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