SICKNESS RECORDS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN PEIPING

Sickness records of 11,091 school children in Peiping primary andmiddle schools were studied by means of the monthly reports made bythe school physicians of the Health Station,First Health Aera,Munici-pality of Peiping.The average number of absentees due to illness were 628 per1,000 children per school year and the average number of days lostdue to illness was 248 per 100 pupils per school year.The averagenumber of days lost per absentee was 4 days.Seasonal analysis showed higher rates of absenteeism during thespring months (March,April and May).As specific causes for absences due to illness were not recorded,the causes of morbidity resulting in absences could not be studied.Absenteeism due to causes other than illness was not recorded.There was an average morbidity rate for causes treated in theschool clinics of 2213 per 1.000 pupils per school year.Surgical con-ditions,trachoma and upper respiratory infections in order of fre-quency were the most common causes of such cases.