H.—3l

Summary of Complete Examinations. European. Maori. Number of children examined .. .. .. .. 57,154 2,803 Percentage found to have defects .. .. .. 70-28 72-28 Percentage with defects other than dental .. .. 50-13 49-27 Percentage of children showing evidence of — Subnormal nutrition . . .. .. .. 5-64 2-57 Pediculosis .. .. .. .. .. 0-68 4-64 Uncleanliness . . .. .. . . • ■ 0-90 1-68 Skin— Impetigo .. .. .. .. • • 0-89 4-39 Scabies .. .. .. •• 0-79 15-91 Ringworm . . . . .. . . .. 0-20 0-04 Other skin-diseases .. .. .. .. 1-40 0-96 Non-vaccination .. .. .. .. 97-81 96-82 Heart — Organic disease .. .. .. .. 0-75 0-82 Functional disturbance .. .. .. I'll 2-60 Respiratory disease . . . . . . ■ ■ 1-02 0-82 Total deformities of trunk and chest .. .. 11-82 4-09 Mouth— Deformities of jaw or palate, including irregularity 2-30 0-46 Dental caries .. .. •• •• 32-76 48-59 Extractions of permanent teeth .. .. 6-30 2-75 Fillings 54-73 19-19 Perfect sets of teeth .. .. .. .. 2-19 14-09 Nose and throat— Nasal obstruction .. .. .. ■ • 2-69 1-28 Enlarged tonsils .. .. .. ■■ 13-13 7-71 Enlarged glands .. .. .. .. •• 5-99 3-75 Goitre — All degrees .. .. .. ■■ 16-55 5-75 Incipient .. .. .. •• •• 13-86 5-21 Small . . . . . . . . . • 2-30 0-50 Medium . . . . . . . • • • 0-33 0-04 Large . . . . . . . • ■ ■ 0-06 EyeExternal eye-disease .. .. .. .. 1-49 0-82 Total defective vision .. .. .. .. 3-78 1-03 Corrected .. .. .. .. .. 2-28 0-21 Uncorrected .. .. .. .. .. 1-50 0-82 Ear — Otorrhoea .. .. .. .. .. 0-20 0-75 Defective hearing .. .. .. .. 0-30 0-32 Defective speech .. .. .. .. .. 0-50 0-07 Mental— Feeble-mindedness .. .. .. .. 0-24 0-04 Epilepsy .. .. .. .. . • 0-03 Other nervous defects .. .. .. .. 0-37 0-07 Tuberculosis — Total .. .. .. .. •• 0-07 0-60 Pulmonary .. .. .. .. .. 0-05 0-46 Other tissues .. .. .. .. 0-02 0-14 As shown above, 1,382 schools were inspected by School Medical Officers, and 108,105 children medically examined, 64,323 examinations being complete, and 43,782 partial examinations. . This indicates a slight increase in numbers over last year. It is to be noted that over 10,000 parents were personally interviewed by School Medical Officers, and school nurses paid some 11,076 visits to homes. School Medical Officers and nurses continue to co-operate with various philanthropic and relief agencies in schemes of amelioration, such as distribution of milk at school, organization and staffing of health camps —activities which have been of marked practical value during the recent years of economic difficulty. Much of this work cannot be tabulated. Malnutrition. Special attention has been given to the question of malnutrition among school-children throughout the Dominion, and advice given regarding methods of amelioration. It is evident that the incidence of malnutrition as indicated by these returns is practically the same as that noted a year ago. The very slight rise noted for the whole group examined —5-64 per cent, in 1934 as against 5-48 per cent, in 1933 —is very largely due to the fact that the proportion of children included from the primer classes (which as a general rule show slightly higher percentage of malnutrition) is greater than last year. Height-weight-age Survey. In July of last year arrangements were made for the estimation of the height, sitting height, weight, and chest measurements of New Zealand children. The co-operation of teachers in securing these measurements was requested, and we wish to express our appreciation for the generous assistance aSorded by them in carrying out this survey. We have to thank the Government Statistician for the records now to hand regarding the height and weight of boys and girls at ages 5 to 15 inclusive.

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