H.—3l.

is becoming more widely recognized. In most schools at present an effort is made to provide all children who remain at school during the lunch period with hot cocoa (made with a liberal supply of milk) or with milk. In some schools the children contribute towards the cost of this ; in others the School Committee, Parent-teacher Association, or some local philanthropic body raises the necessary funds. It is hoped to increase the average daily consumption of milk, now calculated to be f pint per person, whereas School Medical Officers advocate from 1 to 1£ pints for every child daily. The population of New Zealand would undoubtedly benefit from an increased consumption of our own dairy-products. Health Camps. Very practical assistance has been given to undernourished and delicate children during last year by various health-camp organizations. The health-camp movement is extending throughout the Dominion drawing annually new districts within its scope. The Community Sunshine Association in Auckland has held monthly health camps for children at Motuihi Island, in Auckland Harbour, for twenty-eight months continuously, many hundreds of children benefiting thereby. In the summer vacation a sunshine camp for delicate children was held once more at Waiheke Island, school nurses being in charge. The Waikato Children's Health Camp Association again held its annual camp for approximately two hundred children at Waikato Heads. The Bryant Home at Raglan unostentatiously continues its splendid work. The Raukawa Children's Health Camp at Otaki under the management of the Wellington Children's Health Camp Association has now been open continuously for over a year. Dr. Helen Rake well, School Medical Officer, reports as follows : " During the period February, 1932, to February, 1933, 529 children had been admitted ; these figures include a camp of fifty-five children from the special classes at Wellington. The minimum length of stay has been fixed at six weeks, but this period has been prolonged indefinitely according to the physical condition and home circumstances of the child. The children admitted have been recommended by piivate practitioners, headmasters, or social-welfare organizations, or are cases selected by the school medical and nursing staff. Though intended primarily for children showing some physical disability as malnutrition, debility after sickness or operation, minor degree of choiea, tendency to chronic asthma or bronchitis, and for tuberculosis contacts, it was found desirable to extend the scheme somewhat to include children whose poor home surroundings and inadequate diet rather than their actual physical condition required adjustment. This was especially necessary during the winter months. With regard to the types of case, malnourished and debilitated children have done well ; those admitted for convalescence after tonsillectomy have made excellent progress, and more, I think, of these might be admitted for a longer period, especially when they have had to be discharged from hospital twenty-four hours after operation to homes in insanitary areas and to inadequate diet. Asthma cases, contrary to expectation, have done extremely well; six children with definite asthmatical symptoms have been admitted at different times and from different areas and after the first twenty-four hours they have shown no further symptoms during the period of their stay. Of eight cases of mild chorea "two did well, but though others put on weight very creditably the nervous symptoms did not improve at the same rate. For this group a more graduul adaptation to life in the children's community with the added stimuli of the sunshine and sea air at Otaki is apparently indicated." In Canterbury the Sunlight League of New Zealand, represented by Miss Wilding, conducted a most successful camp for twenty-five girls at Okain's Bay. In Otago a very successful health camp was held at Waikouaiti in charge of Mrs. Marshall Macdonald, assisted by school nurses, and for Southland children a health camp was held at Pounawea for some forty-five children under the supervision of Dr. Abbott, School Medical Officer, and the school nurses. Space does not permit acknowledgment of the generosity of individual citizens and the personal effort of many voluntary workers, who were responsible for the success of these and other camps. They must feel their reward, however, in the increased vigour and happy memory afforded to the children. Tuberculosis Contacts. In spite of our restricted resources, an effort has been made to continue the supervision and care of tuberculosis contacts. Each year brings additional evidence of the value of this work, which, by safeguarding nutrition and ensuring improved environment, prevents many children from becoming victims to the disease. In Wellington Dr. Bakewell reports on 548 tuberculosis contacts kept under observation :— "' Thirteen cases of those under observation showed some pathological signs. Of these, 1 was sent to Pukeora Sanatorium (discharged, April, 1933), 1 was sent to Ewart Hospital (a Maori child from Waiwhetu), 1 was in an advanced state of tuberculosis when discovered, having come from another district and being over school age, was admitted to Ewart, and died March, 1933. One was in hospital for three months having inunction and general treatment, attended school during the rest of the year in good health, and is at present having a period at the health camp. Nine were treated at home with inunction and general measures. Seven of these have been in the health camp for a longer or shorter period. The total of 89 admissions to the health camp is satisfactory. The 33 cases treated by the eye, ear, nose, and throat specialists include 3 antrum explorations, 2 mastoid operations, 20 for removal of tonsils and adenoids, 2 for correction of visual errors ; the remainder for minor ear and nose conditions, or for specialist's examination and opinion. The cases to general outpatients include pyelitis, slight hypo-thyroidism, debility, &c. A large percentage of contacts attend the dental clinics, who give very satisfactory and generous treatment."

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