London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The details of the work done at this clinic are as follows:—
| Number of attendances of ear, nose and throat cases | 6,051 |
| „ patients treated—506, representing | 582 ears. |
| Number of ionisation administrations | 1,872 |
| „ ultra-violet irradiations | 167 |
| „ dressings | 3,975 |
| Number of ear patients treated after mastoid operation | 229 = 259 ears. |
| ,, other ear patients treated | 277 = 323 ears. |
The following are particulars of new patients discharged from Downs hospital during 1933:—
| Patients. | Ears. | |
|---|---|---|
| No treatment required | 17 | 17 |
| Treated at the Council's clinics—now well | 7 | 7 |
| Treated at after-care clinic—now well | 92 | 105 |
| Still under treatment at after-care clinic on 31st December, 1933 | 54 | 60 |
| Still under treatment at the Council's clinics on 31st December, 1933 | 13 | 13 |
| Referred back for further operation | 5 | 7 |
| Lost sight of since | 12 | 15 |
| Total | 200 | 224 |
The following are particulars of the cases referred from Downs hospital in 1932, and continuing treatment into 1933:—
| Patients. | Ears. | |
|---|---|---|
| Referred back to Downs hospital for further operation | 7 | 8 |
| Treated at after-care clinic—now well | 37 | 41 |
| Still under treatment on 31st December, 1933 | 2 | 3 |
| Transferred to the Council's clinics in 1933 | 2 | 2 |
| Lost sight of | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 49 | 55 |
In addition to the above the following are particulars of cases which were discharged from Downs hospital in 1932, but went to the Council's clinics and continued their treatment into 1933:—
| Patients. | Ears. | |
|---|---|---|
| Treated at the Council's clinics—now well | 6 | 7 |
| Still under treatment at the Council's clinics | 7 | 8 |
| Lost sight of | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 17 | 20 |
Audiometer.
One of the features of the past year has been the regular audiometric work done in the
elementary schools. One session a week has been devoted to this work. All the children of a
department are given a test which is described as test No. 1. Those who fail to satisfy this test
are given a second test—test No. 2. As a rule, a certain proportion of the failures in test No. 1
satisfy test No. 2. The failures in test No. 2 are then given a clinical examination to find out
what is the cause of the hearing defect. A certain proportion of these will be found to benefit
by some form of treatment. This treatment is recommended and an endeavour made to obtain
it. After the treatment is completed, a further test—test No. 3—is given. The result of this
test shows what result, if any, treatment has had on the defect present. A child who shows a
hearing loss of nine or more sensation units on the decibel scale in either ear is regarded as not
satisfying the tests. I have recorded the results in graph form, which gives a much clearer
reading than masses of figures.