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The following is a summary of work in connection with tuberculosis contacts in the Wellington area : — Summary for Year 23rd February, 1934, to 22nd February, 1935. Number of schools visited— Three-monthly .. .. .. .. . . .. 68 Six-monthly .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 Approximate number of families on list .. .. .. .. . . 343 Approximate number of children on list .. .. .. . . .. 652 Number of home visits .. .. .. .. .. .. 573 Number of children— Examined by Dr. Short (Tuberculosis Specialist) .. .. .. 327 X-rayed .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 31 Receiving treatment —hospital, sanatorium, or other treatment .. 23 To Dr. Gillies (Orthopaedic Specialist) .. .. .. .. 4 To Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists (approximately thirty-five visits 21 To office for weight or examination by School Medical Officer .. .. 43 To Otaki Health Camp or Rest-home .. . . . . 24 For Dental treatment at hospital or dental clinic (this does not include St. Joseph's Orphanage, Na-i Nai Convent, or to private practitioner) .. .. .. .. .. 163 Defective Eyesight. Dr Champtaloup has forwarded the result of an interesting investigation into the incidence of defective eyesight in the Taranaki District. The eyesight of all childern upward from and including Standard I was tested, particular attention being paid to factors in the school environment contributing to eyestrain or to the production of myopia, particularly aspect of class-rooms, lighting, and glare. The total number of children tested was 4,111, and findings were as follows : — " The group of 4,111 has been subdivided according to the type of class-room and the aspect. Class 1 : Nearly two-thirds were in modern rooms with left-hand lighting and a good aspect. Class 2 : 183 had left-hand lighting and poor aspect, mainly N.W. Class 3 : 665 were in the Taranaki fresh-air class-room, equally divided between a north aspect and east. Class 4 : 551 were in older rooms where lighting fell from two or more sides of the room, and the aspect was mainly unsatisfactory. " Incidence of untreated new defects in these classes was as follows : — Per Cent. Total: 2-90. Class 1 : 2-30 Modern L. lighting. Good aspect, f whole. „ 2 : 6-50 Modern L. lighting. Poor aspect. ~ 3 : 2.05 Fresh-air class-room. ~ 4 : 3-80 Mixed, lighting, mainly poor aspect. " Altering the classification and making selected groups gave following result: — Per Cent. N.W. aspect (all types of rooms) . . . . .. . . . . 6'4 Glare (all types of room where this was obvious or subject to complaint) . . 5-4 " It becomes evident that aspect is the single factor exerting the strongest infience in this respect, and that a N.W. aspect is particularly bad. In the first place the lighting is not so good. Furthermore, the light instead of falling from the rear during most of the day, falls at its time of maximum illumination from the front. Indirect rays tend thus to be reflected towards the eyes instead of away from them. In winter, when the sun is lower, direct rays fall on the eyes in forward gazing. Where the blackboard is againt the wall or away from the window this affects more particularly the children in the outer rows of desks. In certain class-rooms where blackboards were fixed obliquely against the window, children on the inner side of the room had, during a great portion of the day, to look directly against the light, and had also to contend with reflected light on the blackboard. These were factors incriminated in cases of eyestrain occurring in rooms with this aspect." Native Schools. The medical supervision and examination of Native schools is yearly being established on a more secure basis, the responsibility now assumed by District Nurses in this respect ensuring definite progress. Dr. Turbott has forwarded a comparative summary of defects found in routine examination of pakeha and Maori children in the East Cape district : — " During 1934 a total of 2,384 children were examined, 1,591 pakeha and 793 Maori. An analysis of main defects provides these figures : — Pakeha. Maori. Per Cent. Per Cent. Malnutrition .. .. .. . . .. .. 3-89 1-89 Skin-disease — Impetigo .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-75 3-65 Scabies . . . . . . . . . . .. 0-15 15-63 Other troubles .. .. .. .. .. 1-52 0-63 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 2-42 19-91 Non-vaccination .. .. .. .. ..96-04 99-49

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