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142
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1913.
During the opening weeks two sessions per week were devoted to the treatment of eye cases
and three sessions to the treatment of throat cases. It soon became obvious that more sessions were
required for eye work, and there was some difficulty in obtaining the full number of throat cases.
As one of the members of the staff was able to do either eye or throat work an arrangement was then
made whereby the number of sessions devoted to eye work could, when necessary, be increased to
three per week and those devoted to throat work be reduced to two. At the end of the year this centre
had only been in operation for about eight months, but from the commencement the attendance of
the children has been very good and satisfactory work is being carried out.
(17) Poplar Hospital for Accidents, East India Dock-road, E.—The hospital is situated in East
India Dock-road, within easy access of schools in Poplar, Bow and Bromley, and Limehouse. It was
one of the earliest of dental treatment centres, the arrangement with the Council beginning in March,
1911. The rooms allocated for dental treatment are reached from the out-patients' entrance in
Brunswick-road. There is a large waiting room for parents and children, practically out of hearing
of the consulting room, a small waiting room (at some distance down the corridor) where the "next
child" waits without a parent, and adjoining this is the consulting room. Beyond the consulting
room are two waiting rooms used on "gas" days as recovery rooms. Papers and magazines are provided
for parents and puzzles and games for children in the large waiting room, there are toys in the small
waiting room, and specially attractive toys are set out in the consulting room round the dental chair.
Provision is made for the treatment of 1,980 cases a year, and "gas" cases are taken on one
afternoon in alternate weeks. The nurse collects the voucher cards and takes the children in order
of arrival, except that children accompanied by fathers, or mothers with babies, are given preferential
treatment. An attempt was made to summon parents at intervals of 15 minutes, but this led to confusion
owing to unpunctuality, and the plan was given up. One child is always ready in the small
waiting room. The dentist sees the parent after the child has been treated and explains what has
been done and the importance of brushing the teeth, etc. If "gas" is ordered the appointment is
made by the nurse and instructions as to preparation and a card of printed instructions are given.
Some difficulty was at first experienced in securing the attendance of children at the centre, but
latterly there has been a considerable improvement in this respect.
(18) Queen's Hospital for Children, Hackney-road, E.—The arrangements with the authorities
of this hospital provide for the treatment of 1,540 dental cases annually, and began in July, 1913.
A half-time dentist at a salary of £200 a-year is engaged, and the anaesthetist attends on one session
a fortnight. Premises adjoining the hospital have been specially equipped for the purpose, and form
a very satisfactory centre, serving the crowded districts of Bethnal Green, Haggerston and South
Hackney. The attendance of the children is very good.
(19) Rotherhithe Nursing Treatment Centre. Bermondsey Settlement, Farncombe-street.—This
centre began work in a single room at the Bermondsey Settlement in March, 1913, for the treatment of
minor ailments only. Later, the settlement authorities also allowed the use of a second room as
a waiting-room for parents and children on the doctor's day. More recently proposals for the
extension of the arrangement to include dental treatment have been the subject of negotiation, and
some considerable alterations are now being made to adapt the premises for this work. It is
contemplated that provision will be made for 1,540 dental cases, in addition to the 6(30 nursing
treatment cases per annum included in the existing agreement.
(20) Royal Eye Hospital, St. George's-circus.—This hospital is easily accessible by tram from
nearly all parts of South London, and is used to a very large extent for the treatment of children
living south of the liver. When the Council entered into an agreement with the committee of the
hospital for the treatment of school children the hospital was enlarged in order that the children
might, as far as possible, be dealt with apart from other patients. The arrangements provide for the
treatment of 4,000 eye cases a year. The difficulty which was previously experienced, owing to the
fact that a large number of children attended at hours when the children's department was not open,
has been minimised by making arrangements for the children's department to be open every
week-day morning, and a special notice has been placed at the hospital directing parents to bring
their children at this time.
(21) Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital, City Road, E.C.—The present arrangements at this
hospital provide for the treatment of 5,000 children a year. A special children's department has been
provided for dealing with refraction cases, and the accommodation and arrangements for accommodating
the children are well designed. The cases are all seen in the special department, and those requiring
treatment for eye diseases are referred to the ordinary out-patients' department. Refraction cases are
registered in the special department, and their records are kept there. In the out-patients' department
children are given precedence over adults in order to minimise the period of waiting, and those
requiring treatment are dealt with on the first visit. Refraction cases form about four-fifths of the
number treated, and all cases for which glasses are prescribed are required to attend for reinspection
within a year, the care committees being reminded of the appointment by one of the Council's
organisers.
(22) St. Cecilia's School Treatment Centre, 535, Commercial Road, E.—This centre is conveniently
situated with regard to the main omnibus and tramway routes. Originally opened for the treatment
of minor ailments and the cleansing of verminous children its scope has recently been increased by
the provision of facilities for the treatment of 1,540 dental cases a year. The number of minor
ailment cases for which agreement is made is 440 per annum. The arrangements have been and
continue to be satisfactory.
(23) St. George's Dispensary, Blackfriars.—This centre may be said to constitute the foundation
of the Council's dental treatment scheme, for in January, 1910, advantage was taken of the offer
of Dr. R. A. Kirby to provide dental treatment for elementary school children free of charge for one
year. The experience gained as the result of this experiment was most valuable and helped in no
small measure to facilitate the development of the dental scheme now in operation.