H.—3l.

Speech Defect. School Medical Officers continue to exercise supervision of special classes for children who are hard of hearing or suffering from speech defect. School Buildings and Sanitation. An increasing number of new schoolrooms are of the open-air type. Observations are being carried out in Auckland to determine their influence on pupils as indicated by improved health, school attendance, &c. Dr. Stevenson reports good progress made by the pupils attending the open-air school at Kew, Dunedin. These are chosen because suffering from subnormal nutrition, rheumatism, latent tuberculosis, or other incapacitating condition, or are tuberculosis contacts. Dr. Henderson has forwarded comprehensive reports from Miss Milroy, nurse in charge of the Sunshine School, Auckland, which, under the auspices of the Auckland Community Sunshine Association, deals with a similar group of children to that at Kew. In both these schools careful daily supervision, including rest periods, supplementary feeding and open-air life (with, at the Sunshine School, sunbathing) has been justified by the benefit to the pupils. School cleaning and sanitation improve steadily, if gradually, but two old enemies—dry sweeping and the common towel —still survive in places. The circular H.Sch. 29, " Suggestions to School Committees and Teachers re the Cleaning and Sanitation of Schools," has been revised and redistributed. Infectious Disease. The following appeared in epidemic form during the year : Influenza, whooping-cough, chicken-pox, and diphtheria. Preventive treatment of diphtheria has been resumed in certain primary schools. At Otahuhu, Auckland, in response to a request from parents approximately seven hundred children were given by Drs. Wilson and Champtaloup protective inoculation, anatoxin being the chosen medium. In the schools of the East Cape district, under Dr. Turbott, preventive treatment is proceeding. Steadily about one thousand children recently immunized. Special Investigation. Dr. Mary Champtaloup, School Medical Officer, Auckland, conducted an inquiry into the incidence of cyclical vomiting. Dr. Champtaloup's conclusions are as follow : — (1) 14-1 per cent, of children suffered ftom cyclical vomiting during some portion of childhood. (2) 4-9 per cent, of children were marked or severe cases. (3) 8-75 per cent, is estimated to be the actual incidence. (4) Incidence among children with no sweets was double that among children with a regular supply of sweets. (5) Incidence among children in small families, especially only children, was more than twice as great as in larger families. (6) An adequate supply of green vegetables lessens the tendency to cyclical vomiting. (7) A large amount of milk appears to encourage a predisposition to cyclical vomiting. The Division of School Hygiene wishes to express its appreciation of the co-operation of the Mental Hospitals Department, Education Department, various Education Boards, School Committees, and others for valuable assistance. A. G. Paterson. Director, Division of School Hygiene.

PART IV. —HOSPITALS.

I have the honour to submit my annual report reviewing some of the activities of the Hospital Division for last year. , , . , , Building operations have been limited practically to completing works already commenced and new work to such as was absolutely necessary. Important works completed during the year include the children s block at Mew .Plymouth, the administration block at Timaru, the Nurses' Home at Riverton, additions to the Nurses Home at Hamilton, new theatre block at Palmerston North. The new Nurses' Home at Chnstchurch is still m course of erection. . . During the year special attention was paid to the restitution of hospital services at JNapier. lhe hospital-site was levelled and special surveys were made to investigate the security of the whole site. The surveys proving favourable, it was decided to rebuild the hospital on the old site. A more minute survey of the Coleman and Midgely Wards was made, and it was considered that they could again be brought into use. Accordingly a contract was let for their strengthening and restoration, and these wards are now in use. The central administration block also suffered comparatively little damage, and this block is at present being repaired and made fit for use. The rest of the hospital buildings 4—H. 31.

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