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For the child who is not damaged beyond repair protracted treatment is
possible at the Lancing Convalescent Home, where the child resides for 6-9 months.
The children there come under the care of the local medical practitioner, who
is versed in the principles of the treatment laid down for rheumatic children;
once a month he has the advantage of consulting with Dr. Sheldon, who visits
Lancing for the purpose.
Enquiries in Notified Cases of Rheumatism.
Enquiry was made in forty-five cases in relation to:—
(a) the type of house in which the patient lived;
(b) the presence of dampness and absence of light and ventilation;
(c) sleeping accommodation, overcrowding, and the standard of comfort
and living;
(d) the condition of the nose, throat and teeth;
(e) heredity.
Type of House.
19 lived in satisfactory artisan self-contained flats.
12 lived in satisfactory artisan homes in divided houses of a comfortable type
(a better class of house let in lodgings).
11 lived in houses let in lodgings.
4 lived in artisan dwellings of an old type, not self-contained but superior
to ordinary houses let in lodgings.
It is somewhat curious to note the incidence of acute rheumatism in satisfactory
homes.
Dampness in Houses.
Dampness was found in only three houses, due to temporary nuisances which
were remedied.
Lighting and Ventilation.
One child lived in a semi-basement flat, and although the lighting was not
good, the flat was well built and the street and courtyard adjoining fairly wide,
so that lighting and ventilation compared not unfavourably with upper floors in
narrow streets and small courtyards.
Most of the remaining homes were well ventilated and the lighting good;
in no case was ventilation or lighting markedly unsatisfactory.
Enquiry revealed that two of the forty-eight notified eases did not live at the addresses
give in; in one case where the patient died very shortly after notification was received,
enquiry was limited to the contacts of the case.