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48
In regard to children under school age, the Circular invited
attention to the following matters:—
(i) the success of the system of medical examination of children
under school age, and its continuance as a recognised procedure.
(ii) the arrangement whereby some Local Authorities utilise the
services of the school clinic and of the ophthalmic surgeon attending
there for the examination of children under school age.
(iii) the desirability that the treatment of external eye conditions
at the Minor Ailments Clinic designed for children of school age
should be made available for children under school age.
(iv) the suggestion that a critical survey by the Medical Officer
of Health of the arrangements for children under school age, especially
with regard to the early diagnosis and treatment of serious eye defects,
might be fruitful in results, it being thought that further measures for
the ascertainment of young children with eye conditions which might
lead to impairment or loss of sight was desirable.
The circular also pointed out that attention is drawn in the
Report to the possibility of serious eye trouble accompanying or
resulting from certain infectious diseases, especially measles, and the
Minister endorsed the recommendation that arrangements should be
made, in so far as this had not already been done, whereby the
Medical Officer in charge of an Isolation Hospital or other hospital
should call in an ophthalmologist to advise on, or treat, any case of
infectious disease requiring specialist advice.
Reference was also made to the fact that research is being
carried out on the problem of the prevention of measles. Other
matters referred to in the Circular letter are beyond the scope of the
work of the Borough Council; but the field of action covered by the
Circular indicated the importance that is now attached to all measures
having for their object the prevention of blindness.
I reported to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee on
the portions of the circular which affected that Committee, and, in
particular, with regard to the steps which could be taken to reduce
the number of cases of blindness due to eye diseases. The Committee
approved of my suggestions as to an extension of the existing system
of routine blood tests in cases attending the Ante-Natal Clinics and
authorised the Medical Officer of the Ante-Natal Clinics to make a
routine test in the case of all women attending the Clinic.