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142
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1912.
Other ailments, i.e., complaints not included in any of the preceding groups.
The 28,031 defects were noted among 23,344 children referred for treatment, and the following
numbers appear in each class:—Refraction cases, 6,304 (22.5 per cent.); minor ailments, 2,229 (8.0 per
cent.); ear, nose and throat cases, 7,651 (27.3 per cent.); dental cases, 7,749 (27.6 per cent.); other
ailments, 4,098 (14.6 per cent.)
On re-inspection it was found that of these defects 12,080, or 43.1 per cent., had received treatment,
and that in 3,368 cases. the treatment was no longer considered to be necessary, thus leaving
12,583 defects, or 44.9 per cent. untreated. This number will no doubt be materially reduced when
the cases are re-inspected the second time.
Taking the defects by classes, it was found that the percentage of refraction cases treated was
54.4; minor ailments, 57.1; ear, nose and throat, 40.4; teeth, 30.5; and other ailments, 46.9.
Of the 12,080 defects which had received treatment, 7,228 (or 59.8 per cent.) were reported as
completed and satisfactory, and 2,795 (or 23.1 per cent.) as still under treatment, the remaining 2,057
(17.0 per cent.) having discontinued treatment or from other cause remaining uncured. An examination
of these figures shows that the percentage of completed cases is highest (viz., 63.7) in the case
of children treated under the Council's scheme; the percentage in the case of children treated by private
doctors being 55.4, and in the case of children treated at hospitals, etc., outside the Council's scheme,
58.2. The relatively high percentage in the cases under the Council's scheme is doubtless attributable
to the fact that an officer of the Public Health Department is always present while treatment
is given at the centres and hospitals covered by the scheme, and the cases are Systematically
followed up.
The Table in Appendix XIV. refers only to ailments for which the Council has made
provision, viz., refraction, minor ailments, and ear, nose and throat defects, and shows the results of
re-inspections classified in relation to the 29 borough areas. The percentages of cases treated show
considerable variations in the different parts of London. In some boroughs this is due to the small
numbers of cases under review, but as a general rule it is probable that the main determining factor
is the existence of adequate facilities for obtaining treatment. As an illustration of this point two
examples may be taken.
First, that of the borough of Stepney where it is found that the percentage of cases treated is
59.3. This district is served by the London Hospital, where the Council has made considerable
provision for the treatment and following up of school children and the percentage is relatively
high. Against this may be set the contiguous borough of Poplar, where the percentage treated is
only 42.9. In the latter district there was a clearly felt need for treatment facilities which will now
be met by the establishment of the Poplar Treatment Centre.
The second comparison is between the district comprising the boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham
and Deptford where the percentage is 66.4 and the borough of Islington, where the percentage is only
50.2. The former district was served by the Miller General Hospital and the Deptford Health Centre.
In the latter, where facilities appeared to be inadequate, the Council has now made arrangements for
the establishment of a treatment centre.
The Education (Provision of Meals) Act.
The menus of meals supplied to necessitous children were originally drawn up in consultation
between the Superintendent of Domestic Economy and the Medical Officer (Education). During the
past year the renewal of the contract with the Alexandra Trust afforded an opportunity for the revision
of the dietaries. I have satisfied myself in every case that, provided the ingredients are of average
quality and supplied in the amounts and proportions stipulated, the Council obtains good value for the
money expended. Where the proposed menus appeared inadequate or unsuitable I have advised as to
their improvement; in some cases my recommendations have been carried out, but in others it has
been pointed out to me that to comply would necessitate exceeding the agreed limits of expenditure,
but in every case modifications resulting in improvement have been made.
Dinners.—The dinner menus which are given in the appendix to this report supply about twofifths
of the theoretical amount of nourishment required daily by children of twelve years of age.
Breakfasts.—The breakfast menus included in the dietaries give approximately ¼ of the
proteids; 7/20 of the fats and ⅜ of the carbohydrates required by a child during the 24 hours.
There is a tendency to give foods of a soft nature to the young children through a mistaken
belief that they are incapable of masticating ordinary food ; this is a practice greatly to be deprecated,
as there is good reason to believe that the absence of fibrous material in the diet of young children
plays a considerable part in the production of the excessive amount of dental caries which is
prevalent.
During the autumn term of 1911 the whole of the feeding centres were visited by the school
doctors. During the present year the centres in respect of which defects were previously noted were
re-visited. In many instances improvement had taken place, but in the case of 60 centres attention
was drawn to defects of varying degrees of importance.
Exercises for children in elementary schools suffering from physical defects.
Physical
Exercises.
Special classes in physical exercises for children suffering from physical defects were conducted
daily for a period of six months in the girls', or junior mixed departments, of eight elementary schools.
The types of children selected as likely to benefit from daily exercises carried out under conditions
permitting of a definite degree of individual supervision were those suffering from various minor deformities
brought about by the general weakness and lack of tone of the muscles, the effects of which were