(jt. H. F. Nuttall' 
85 
fested: 234 (31 %) bore few nits, 269 (35-5 %) had many, and 53 (7 %) 
harboured very many nits upon their heads. Of Kindergarten children, 
less than 50 % were infested, whereas five-sixths of the children aged 
6-12 and of the girls aged 12—16 were infested. The children not 
attending the Kindergarten are supposed to “take care” of their own 
hair; a dozen or more of these children showed eczema of the face or 
scalp and enlarged glands due to pediculosis. The negro children were 
mostly clean, this being attributed to the liberal use of vaseline or 
pomade for the purpose of keeping their hair parted; those whose hair 
was dry had the usual proportion of pediculi. 
Sobel (1913, pp. 656-664), in a valuable paper, based on eleven 
years’ experience of pediculosis in the schools of New York, states 
that roundly 22-23 % of the children there are infested, some 150,000 
to 185,000 cases a year having been recorded during the years 1909-1912 
in the public schools of New York. In six boys’ schools 1-5-6 %, 
in six girls’ schools 10-28 %, of the pupils were infested. As the result 
of monthly examinations and instruction, there had been a decline in 
the severity and sequelae of pediculosis if not in the number of cases. 
The examination takes place rapidly; the hair is raised and the occiput 
inspected for lice and nits, the girls being instructed to braid the hair 
at school, to unbraid and comb it at home. Sobel, like Greene in Boston, 
also records that negroes are less infested than whites, thus of 28,791 
children in 16 schools, 2579 were coloured (0-5 % lousy) and 26,212 
were white (16-5 % lousy). The homes of the negroes are mostly cleaner 
than those of alien whites, and negroes appear to take more care of 
their children’s hair. Dr W. L. Funkhouser, writing to Sobel, states that 
of 2600 children he examined in Rome, Georgia, 800 were coloured 
(0 lousy) and 1800 were white (33 lousy); he attributes this to the 
modern efforts to straighten the hair (to get rid of the kinks), many 
using hair cosmetics and spending much time in combing the hair. 
“They will neglect their bodies for their hair.” In pale, partly white, 
negroes whose hair is merely wavy or straight, lice are found more 
frequently. 
As Sobel correctly states, the occurrence of pediculosis capitis may 
be accidental but its continued presence is due to neglect. 
Old people, next to children, are most affected by head-lice. This 
is proved by wide experience in many countries, the aged tending to 
become more neglectful and uncleanly in their persons with advancing 
years, this being particularly noticeable among the indigent poor. 
