View report page

Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
89
802 visits were made by the Dispensary Nurses in cannection
with these cases during the year.
Institutional Treatment.—All institutional treatment is
arranged for by the London Insurance Committee and the London
County Council, and there are no residential institutions
under the control of the Borough Council.
Co-operation with other Institutions.—With regard to
co-operation with general and special hospitals, an arrangement
with St. Thomas's Hospital for referring to the Hospital cases
of difficulty and those requiring special investigation has been
in existence since the dispensary scheme commenced in 1913,
and has always worked smoothly.
At the present time the co-operation is very close, and
patients are continually being referred under this arrangement
for X-ray examinations, the opinion of a throat surgeon, or for
other reasons. Further, patients in need of some special outpatient
treatment, not available at the dispensaries, are dealt
with in this way. During the year 67 cases were referred to the
hospital, most of them for X-ray examination, or for an opinion
on the condition of the larynx.
With regard to School Clinics, a few children are referred
to the dispensaries by the schools, but only occasionally does a
medical report accompany the child. When questioned, the
mother usually says that the school mistress advised her to bring
the child. This system might be improved upon.
Women and children are also sent by the Medical Officers
of the Welfare Centres for examination.
The co-operation with medical practitioners is improving,
and the number of cases referred by them has increased during
the last four years. In 1920 tne number was 307, compared
with 209, 234, and 175 for the three previous years. A few