SCHOOL CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1907, Page 7

SCHOOL CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

NOSE, THROAT, EAR, EYE, TEETH. PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISEASE. Very soon the Minister of Public Health will have an opportunity of perusing tho report which Dr. Mason (Chief Health Officer) has prepared in reference to the periodical medical inspection of school children. It may be repeated that in most parts of the world the importance of examining the children, from a health point of view, is rightly recognised. Japan, which has been quick to improve upon Western examples, has hastened to appoint officers to go through the schools now and then to see how the little ones are faring. Dr. Mason's proposals are concerned with thoroughly safeguarding the children. It is desired to discover in good timo ailments or defects in the eye, ear, nose, throat, teeth, skin. "Many children," ho remarked to a Post reporter this morning, "suffer from adenoid growth, which not only interferes with proper breathing, but by blocking up a canal leading to the ear, produces an amount of deafness which impairs the ability of the pupil to take full advantage of wfiat the teacher says. The unhealthy habit 01 mouth breathing is usually the result of obstruction at the back of the nose. The inhalation of unwarmed air, that is air which has not passed through the nasal passages, has a deleterious effect on tho sensitive lining of the lung. The sense of smell is also diminished by the non-use of the membrane lining the nose. "Another most important point is the question of eye-sight and eye-strain. The headaches, of which children between thirteen and fourteen years complain, aro in many instances due to some physical defect in tho structure of the eye. Occasionally you find children accused of inattention and backwardness, when as a matter of fact they may be unable to see the blackboard." In addition to the examinations by medical men, teachers will be asked to keep careful watch on the children and note those who are afflicted with a cough. A little dry hacking cough ia very often the foreword which consumption gives. "The importance of recognising this is very great indeed, *' adds Dr. Mason, "not only for the sake of the coughcr, but the other children. Dr. M'Kenzie, medical inspector for an Education Board in Scotland, found that in Aberdeen and Edinburgh 1.8 and 3 per cent., respectively, of the children were afflicted with consumption. This alone almost pioves the need of systematic medical inspection."' SCHOOL-CHILDREN'S TEETH. EXAMINATION IN WELLINGTON. WIDESPREAD DECAY. About a year ago the Wellington Education Board authorised the local Dental Association t6 pxamino the teeth of | children in tho higher standards of the State schools. Accordingly, the mouths of 1148 children (660 boys and 488 girls) in Standards IV., V., VI., and VII. were inspected. It wa* noticed th;it thcee 1148 pupils hr.d 5387 teeth (3706 upper and 2181 lower), in need of treatment, an average of five teeth per mouth in ohildTen between eight and sixteen years of age. "This average may appexr low," the report states, '"but, reslly, it is very high indeed, for we must remember thai it applies to many children who have not erupted all their teeth.'" The following aTe details about the schools whose pupils w«re examined :

"Almost universal uncleanliness" characterised the teeth. Tho examiners noticed that only aboui 15 per cout. of the children inspected used a brush, and in this number boys predominated in the proportion of 9to 6. Children did not apparently attempt to use a brush until they were at least eight years of age. It is submitted that the large number of cases fchowing signs of simple stomatitis and infected tonsils is undoubtedly duo to bad teeth. Quick fermentation of food istuffs is also mentioned as one of the evils caused by diseased teeth. In conclusion, the report makes eomt important proposals. "As we have sufficient data to back up our statements,, and afe it is quite possiblo that ninetenths of human ailments aro traceable to bad teeth and unhygienic oml conditions," tho association states, "it is submitted that the following proposals be carried, and that they be conveyed to the proper authorities: — (1) That subject to authorisation, a eeries of plain straight-forward lecturec be given periodically and on approved lines to the scholars of Standards IV., V., and VI. of the various Stato schools, at such times and places as the headmaster may see lit. (2) That associated with any medical inspection the Health Department be approached to have a representative from the Dental Association present when such examinations take place. (3) That attached to and forming part of tho staff of the Health Department there be added to it a duly registered dental surgeon. (4) That tho Minister of Public Health bo notified respectfully of the above minutes." , Questioned about this report, Dr. Mason said that the members of the Dental Association were to be congratulated for tho important work which they had undertaken at their own initiative and expense. There was no doubt that they had secured valuable data. Replying to queries about tho financial aspect, Dr. Mason said that when any case of disease was noticed in a child the parents would bo informed, and would bo expected to make their own arrangements for remedies, if they could afford it. If the parents were too poor to undertake tho expense, tho children would receive treatment at the hospital. In the caso jf bad teeth, it was reasonable to expect that a child would be in a position to receive the same considoration as one afflicted with any other ailment. J

Ko. nf School. Pupils. Ncwtown (2) „ I£2 \Villis-aUcet >. Zol Thorndoii _ ..232 Terrace „, „ 215 Island Bay .. 35 Mount Cook .. 40 rctone .. .. 204 Father Lane's (Lower Hutt) .. .. 33 Ages. 3-15 9-15 10-16 8-16 9-14 0-15 9-15 915 Carious. Teeth. 618 912 1345 1112 180 260 1047 223