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Ear, Nose and Throat Clinics
Weekly sessions were held by Dr. F. P. M. Clarke, the
visiting consultant, for Hornsey children referred for a variety of
conditions both in type and degree. Despite this antibiotic era,
otorrhoea still constitutes a problem and the persistent and effective
treatment of this complaint is a prerequisite in the prevention of
conductive deafness. Sinus infection, recurrent tonsillitis and
enlarged adenoidal pads were common causes of referral from the
school clinics; yet familiarity must breed no contempt in these cases
for they are sources of much general ill-health and frequent school
absence.
The close co-operation in Tottenham between the out-patient
department of the Prince of Wales's General Hospital and the local
authority clinic continued under the direction of Mr. William McKenzie,
F. R. C. S., with the able assistance of one of the school medical
officers (Dr. Nora Webster). During the year Mr. McKenzie
addressed the school medical officers on some of the ear, nose and
throat problems in connection with their work and a valuable and
informative discussion followed his talk.
Audiology Clinic
As 1959 had seen the appointment of Dr. L. Fisch as
consultant otologist to the Area, so 1960 was to herald the opening
of the Audiology Unit in new premises on a site adjacent to the
Blanche Nevile School for the Deaf at Tottenham. The investigation
and ascertainment of deafness in children, and the subsequent training
and educational placement of the child is essentially a matter of
team-work. It is a pleasure, therefore, to record the good relations
which exist between medical officers and educational personnel in the
establishment of a full audiology service. In addition to the
consultant otologist, a school medical officer and an audiometrician
complete the medical component of the team, whilst their educational
colleagues comprise the headmaster of the school (Mr. T. N. Brown),
an educational psychologist and a peripatetic teacher of the deaf.
Dr. Fisch reports that the accoustic conditions of the new
premises are very satisfactory and when all the equipment, which has
been ordered, has been assembled, the facilities for testing the
hearing of children will be as good as at any audiology clinic in the
country.
It has been of great advantage to have the educational psychologist
present at all sessions of the audiology unit, for she can
observe the clinical examination of the child and will be no stranger
to him should a full psychological assessment subsequently prove
necessary. An important function of an audiology unit is to establish
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