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11
A REVIEW OF THE METHODS EMPLOYED
FOR TREATMENT.
Most of the defects discovered among school children are
amenable to treatment, and this treatment can be provided for
the ailing child in one of three ways:—(1) From the general
practitioner in his capacity as family physician; (2) at the voluntary
hospitals; and (3) at the School Clinic.
The School Clinic is situated in Topsfield Parade, Crouch
End, and during the year it has been instrumental in providing
treatment for 4,351 children, who attended there on 13,106
occasions.
The treatment of various conditions will now be described
under the same headings and in the same order as those in the
previous section of this report.
Malnutrition.—The general activities of the Public Health
Department, by making dwellings sanitary and fit for human
habitation, lessen no doubt the amount of malnutrition. The
remedy of minor defects and illnesses in the children themselves
helps also in this direction. A few children who were considered
by the Medical Officer to be in need of extra nourishment were
supplied with milk at the school, and at the end of the year
arrangements were being made to supply these children in school
with malt and cod liver oil. No doubt these children who show
evidence of defective metabolism would be improved in health
by instruction in an open-air school.
Uncleanliness.—The Education Committee has provided an
excellent cleansing station where verminous and unclean children
can be cleansed and their clothes can be sterilised. During the
year 118 children passed through this cleansing station and made
altogether 161 attendances.
Adenoids and Enlarged Tonsils.—Four children are operated
on every Saturday morning at the School Clinic for these conditions.
At the end of the year there were 155 children waiting
for this operation. During the year the Medical Officer reported
to the Clinic Sub-Committee that in his opinion these operations