MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS 



Pediculi Capitis (Head Lice). An extremely common accident 

 among children, either from wearing each others' hats and caps, or hanging 

 them on each others' pegs, or from combs and brushes. No person should 

 be blamed for booing lice, only for keeping them. 



The irritation caused by vermin in the scalp leads to scratching, 

 which in turn causes an inflammation of the skin of the neck and scalp. 

 The skin then easily becomes infected with some of the pus-producing 

 germs, and large or small scabs and crusts are formed from the dried 

 matter and blood. Along with this condition the glands back of the 

 ears and in the neck become swollen, and may be very painful and tender. 



The condition of pediculosis is most easily detected by looking for 

 the eggs (nits), which are always stuck onto the hair, and are not readily 

 brushed off. The condition is best treated by killing the living parasites 

 with crude petroleum, and then getting rid of the nits. With boys, 

 this is easy, a close hair cut is all that is needed; with girls, by using 

 a fine-toothed comb wet in alcohol or vinegar, which dissolves the attach- 

 ment of the eggs to the hair. All combs and brushes must be carefully 

 cleansed. 



Children with pediculosis should be excluded from school until their 

 heads are clean. By chapter 383, Acts of 1906, parents who neglect 

 or refuse to care for their children in this respect may be prosecuted 

 under the compulsory attendance law. 



Ringworm. A vegetable parasitic disease of the skin and scalp. 

 When it occurs upon the skin, it yields readily to treatment; but upon 

 the scalp it is extremely chronic. Ringworm of the skin usually appears 

 on the face, hands or arms, rarely upon the body, in varying sized 

 more or less perfect circles. One or more, usually not widely separated, 

 may be present at the same time. All ringed eruptions upon the skin 

 should be examined for ringworm. 



When the disease attacks the scalp, the hairs fall or break off near 

 the scalp, leaving dime to dollar sized areas nearly bald. The scalp in 

 these areas is usually dry and somewhat scaly, but may be swollen and 

 crusted. The disease spreads at the circumference of the area, and 

 new areas arise from scratching, etc. 



Another disease, somewhat like ringworm of the scalp, is known as 

 favus, a disease much more common in Europe than America. In 

 this disease quite abundant crusts of a yellowish color are present where 

 the process is active. The roots of the hair are killed, so that the loss 

 of hair from this disease is permanent, a scar remaining when the condi- 

 tion is cured. 



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