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51
The fitness of each child is roughly assessed by the examining
doctor as good, fair or poor. Such a classification must depend
largely on the standards of the examiner but of the 6,630 inspections
carried out only 79 children were put into the "poor" group,
i.e., 1.2%. This compares with 2.5% in 1949 and 3.8% in 1920.
Rates of up to 5½% have recently been recorded in other areas
of Middlesex.
The number of children found at routine medical examinations
to require treatment has fallen substantially at each inspection—
from 816 in 1949 to 537 in 1950.

It is therefore not surprising that the number of attendances
at the Minor Ailment clinics declined slightly from 3,871 in 1949,
to 3,299 in 1950.
A large number of these children now receive their treatment
from the General Practitioners and Hospital out-patient departments.
The function of the Minor Ailment Clinic is tending to change.
It is now a clearing house for various special cases such as children
in whose cases the diagnosis is in doubt, ascertainment of physically
handicapped and educationally sub-normal children and the treatment
of minor degrees of maladjustment.
The early treatment of apparently minor conditions may
prevent much serious disease in later life. Children that present
with apparently trivial symptoms are occasionally found suffering
from serious organic disease.