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83
Social Conditions.
Six children lived in one-room homes. In eight homes there was a history
of chronic poverty, but without acute distress; in one of these the mother has
been many years widowed; in another the mother has been rearing the illegitimate
family of a man who also supports his wife and his own legitimate family on a
moderate income; two have been widowed and are living on widows' pensions; in
another the father's occupaton (foreman in stables of a commerical firm) has
become obsolete. In the last home, however, the food, owing to the mother's
cominonsense and industry, is as good, if not better, than in many homes where
there is a larger income. In all these homes difficulty of providing proper clothing,
and more especially sufficient boots, may arise at any time, and if this does occur
we hope to be able to solve the difficulty.
Condition of the Nose and Throat.
In twenty-five children the condition of the tonsils was normal.
Twenty-nine children had their tonsils removed, thirteen of these also had
adenoids removed.
In five cases tonsillectomy was advised, two of the five also requiring
removal of adenoids.
In the remaining five cases the tonsils were enlarged at the time of examination
but no special treatment was recommended.
Of the twenty-nine children referred to above, in nine cases the removal of
the tonsils coincided with the reported onset of rheumatism, in that the diagnosis
of the rheumatic condition was made in connection with the attendance of the
children at hospital on account of tonsilitis. In thirteen tonsillectomy had been
performed at varying periods considerably before the symptoms of rheumatism
were observed (from three of these also adenoids had been removed); in seven
others the children were found to have had tonsils removed as part of treatment
for rheumatism.
Teeth.
In four children dental caries was still present: in five others extractions
had been made as part of the treatment for rheumatism.
Heredity.
Based on information derived from the parents (notably untrustworthy seeing
that they include all forms of rheumatism including fibrositis) the following has
been compiled: —
In ten the mother suffered from rheumatism.
In four the father,
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