H—3l

DIVISION OF SCHOOL HYGIENE Medical inspection of children continued throughout the year to the extent possible with the limited medical personnel available. The Department was unable to recruit additional medical officers, and operated at approximately half the authorized strength. Much work was accomplished nevertheless.

The Medical State of Primary-school Children, 1945

14

(European and Maoris) European. Maori. Number. Percentage. Number. Percentage. Number of children examined 70,387 5,207 Number of children found to have defects 28,158 40 00 2,403 46-14 Number of children with defects other than dental .. 22,422 31 85 1,697 32-59 Children showing evidence of — Subnormal nutrition 6,682 9 49 414 7-94 Skin-diseases 1,425 2 02 541 10-38 Heart— Organic disease 282 0 40 13 0-24 Functional disease 544 0 77 12 0-23 Respiratory disease 388 0 55 34 0-65 Posture — Slight impairment 19,370 27 51 875 16-80 ' Gross defect 2,154 3 05 40 0-76 Deformities of trunk and chest 846 1 20 25 0-48 Mouth — Defect of] aw or palate 3,284 4 66 73 1-40 Dental caries 6,513 9 25 969 18-60 Extractions of permanent teeth .. ... 790 1 12 71 1-36 Fillings 54,677 77 68 2,498 47-98 Perfect sets of teeth 2,107 2 99 335 6-43 Gums : Gingivitis or pyorrhoea 135 0 19 65 1-24 Nose and throat — Nasal obstruction 2,890 4 10 83 1-59 Enlarged tonsils 9,639 13 69 514 9-87 Enlarged glands 4,515 6 41 166 3-18 Goitre — Incipient 6,545 9 29 223 4-28 Small 1,207 1 71 17 0-32 Medium or large 64 0 09 2 0-03 Total amount of goitre 7,816 11 09 242 4-63 Eye — External eye-disease 445 0 63 21 0-40 Squints 280 0 39 10 Defective vision— Uncorrected 1,390 1 97 y3 1-78 Corrected 1,020 1 44 12 0-23 Ear — Otorrhoea 59 0 08 49 0-94 Defective hearing 204 0 28 52 0-99 Defective speech 274 0 38 10 0-19 Mental— Retardate 221 0 31 6 0-11 Feeblemindedness 56 0 97 Epilepsy 8 0 01 0-07 Other nervous defects 100 0 14 4 Digestive system defects 65 0 09 8 0-15 Phimosis 50 0 07 4 0-07 Undescended testicles 133 0 18 14 0-26 Hernia 112 0 15 7 0-13 Number of parents present at the medical examination 18,741 26 62 642 12-32 Number of children notified as defective 19,117 1,943