London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Ealing 1926

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]

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— 65 —
Fillings were applied to 1,605 permanent teeth.
Five cases of dental deformity were referred to the Royal
Dental Hospital for special treatment.
(i) Crippling Defects and Orthopaedics—The scheme of
orthopaedic treatment, which was inaugurated in 1925, came into
full operation in 1926. There are 57 on the list of crippled school
children between the ages of 5 and 14 years, 28 of whom are boys
and 29 girls. Three boys are maintained in Special Residential
Schools and the remaining 54 attend public elementary schools.
Of these 54 children 45 have been examined by the Orthopaedic
Surgeon at the School Clinic and have been advised appropriate
treatment. Two children were admitted to the National Orthopaedic
Hospital at Stanmore for operative treatment and 26 attended for
treatment by means of massage at the School Clinic. During the
year the attendances for treatment by massage totalled 153.
Special boots or orthopaedic apparatus were provided for six cases.
The scheme has been a great success. It has proved of great
benefit to the children who are kept under careful supervision
and are given appropriate treatment either by operation or
manipulation and who are able to attend school and continue
their education most of the time they are being cared for physically ;
it has saved a large expense to the parents, who in most cases
cannot afford to pay much towards the cost, and time and trouble
to the mother who usually accepts the duty of taking the children
to a hospital in town; and it has been of value to the Committee
who have reaped a financial return owing to the improved attendance
of the children at school.
The success of the scheme can be gauged to some extent
by the fact that of the 54 crippled children attending elementary
schools 45 are receiving treatment under it. The parents of the
remaining nine children have preferred to continue to take their
children to other hospitals in London.
(j) Heart Disease—Particular attention has recently been
very properly drawn by many observers to the amount of permanent
disability caused by heart disease which in the vast majority of
cases is due to rheumatism. Special reports have been published
on the subject, particular attention being devoted to the need for
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