SCHOOL CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16558, 23 May 1914, Page 12

SCHOOL CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

A WELLINGTON INSPECTION

STARTLING DISCLOSURES ' [Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, May 22.

Some startling disclosures in connection with tho health of school children in the Wellington district were made at to-day’s meeting of the Education Board, when tho medical inspector, Dr Elizabeth Gunn, submitted ner report on tho inspection of nineteen of the schools under tho Board’s jurisdiction. She showed that in the case of some schools 50 per cent of the pupils suffered from malnutritis, in other words from starvation. This, of course, was duo to the ignorance of tho. parents. It was pointed out at tho meeting that many children hurry over their breakfasts, eat their lunches on the way to school, and are practically condemned to eight or nine hours of fastTlio report disclosed an extremely serious state of affairs. Nineteen schools were visited, reported the inspector, and 915 children were examined, of whom 457 were special cases. Four hundred and seventy-eight children were examined in the ordinary routine, and of those only 128 were found to have no defects. Two hundred and thirty-eight had defects other than dental, and the large number of 137 showed evidence of malnutrition.

Tho defects are classified as follows

The report condemns the present style of ventilation in use in all schools visited.

“ With regard to country schools where outhouses have the pan system and there is difficulty iu getting the pans emptied,” proceeds the inspector, “ I do not see why the elder hoys and girls should not be taught how this work should be done. The schools might be provided with white enamel buckets easy to carry and easy to clean, and if the work is done each week there is nothing disagreeable. Tho avvfulness of the worst of these schools •is nothing compared with some of the places in their own homes, and surely if these children were taught how easy it is to keep such places clean, and that it was not necessary to dig a hole six feet deep or to leave the ground vacant for months afterwards, they would improve their home conditions. A few simple directions might he sent to each teacher and to school committees in theso country places, and probably they would all "profit Tbv such directions.”

The report provoked considerable discussion, which was taken in committee.

Mr J. G. W. Aitken moved-—“ That the Department be informed that the Board considers. that medical inspection should lie carried further, and tliat hints should be given to parents as to tho nature of the food which should he given to children.” This was passed unanimously.

Skin disease . . . 21 Defective teeth . 232 Obstructed breathing . 131 Enlarged glands . 110 External eye disease . 4 Defective vision . 54 External car disease . 2 Defective hearing . . DO Defective speech . . i» Non-vaccination . 261 Circulatory disease . 7 Respiratory disease . 6 Tuberculosis (and three doubtful) . 3 Stooped shoulders . . 91 Curvature . 7 Flat chest . . . 42 Pigeon breast . . . 3 Other diseases . . 10