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9
present, but also in the future; and it would prevent many
children from becoming "chronic invalids with a precarious hold
on life." I shall refer to this matter again later in my report.
Uncleanliness.—The Education Committee has provided an
excellent cleansing station where verminous and unclean children
can be claansed and their clothes can be sterilised. During the
year 149 children passed through this cleansing station, and
made altogether 196 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 only 10 children
waiting for this operation. I wish again to put on record that,
although the arrangements made for these operations at the
Clinic are as perfect as possible, the Clinic itself is no place in
which to perform this operation, of which the results are sometimes
very serious. It would be better if all the children who
need this operation could be admitted into hospital and kept
there for forty-eight hours in order to recover from the effects.
I am glad, however, to be able to report that during the year
under review all the operations were safely performed at our
Clinic.
Defective Hearing.—Cases of chronic otorrhœa are treated
at the School Clinic. During the year under review 102 children
with ear discharge attended on 1,272 occasions at the Clinic.
Defective Vision.—Children who are found to be suffering
from defective vision are treated at the School Clinic and
examined by the Assistant School Medical Officer, who prescribes
for them the necessary glasses and gives what other treatment
is necessary. This arrangement has worked satisfactorily during
the year, and 368 children attended on 1,545 occasions for
examination and treatment.
Dental Diseases.—Two part-time dentists are employed by
the Committee to examine and to treat children who have defective
teeth and oral sepsis. During the year they have done
much good work. Details of their examinations and treatments
are given in Table TV. D.