(vii) There were about 150 candidates for the January examination for Government Probationary Clerkships. In March, April and May there were nine examinations for Interpreters' and Translators' certificates. 136 candidates were examined and 50 gained certificates.
HEALTH,
Dr. Minett has continued as Medical Officer for Schools throughout the year, Dr. Douglas Laing being appointed assistant in April.
During the year over 2,600 children have been medically inspected, 1,364 of these as new entrants, the others for re-inspection of some defect found. The percentage of physical defect found is 34 in the British Schools and 43.5 in the Anglo-Chinese schools.
Two Vernacular Schools, the Vernacular Normal at Taipo, and the Women's Normal, have been added to the number of schools medically inspected.
Defect in vision is the most outstanding, in some cases reaching to 40% of the higher classes. 207 cases have been seen by the oculist, and practically all have been provided with glasses. In many cases these will need renewal within two years. No provision of special "sight-saving classes" has been possible.
Special inspections for evidence of malaria gave a low spleen index, and a low percentage of incidence in the blood, although a good deal of absence, especially in country schools, is put down to "fever".
The two school nurses have paid 105 visits to homes, usually to persuade parents to take children for treatment.
Co-operation has been closer with various departments of the Government Civil Hospital, and tonsil operation, X-ray, electrical, massage, and trachoma treatment have been arranged in a large number of cases.
In the office of the Medical Officers for Schools small clinics have been started for regular treatment and supervision of tubercular or "pre-tubercular" children and of children suffering from ear and throat diseases. By this means it is hoped to get in touch with "contacts" of tubercular cases, a most important part of anti-tuberculosis work.
Special remedial exercises for spinal curvature, mouth breathing, flat foot, etc. have been carried out in the British Schools and in Belilios Public School by the Physical Training Mistress.