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84
Ionisation.
centre and working through all the cases at that centre and then passing on to
another centre and doing the same again. In this way it is possible to deal with
all types of cases, early as well as late, easy as well as difficult, and no doubt this
method is largely responsible for the high percentage of successes in the
year 1926.
This latter plan has the advantage of rapidly clearing the centres that are being
worked through, but the disadvantage of not finding it possible to work through
all the treatment centres in the year with the present staff, viz., three aurists. It is
quite clear that it will be necessary to increase the number of aurists, if the "ear"
cases are to be dealt with adequately. Although the rule is to work through the
treatment centres consecutively, nevertheless any "urgent" or "special" cases
referred are seen as well. This plan will be continued through 1927, by the end
of which time we shall be able to form a better opinion as to the relative merits of
the two methods.
In the treatment of cases by ionisation, the same plan has been followed during
the past year as in 1925, viz., the cases selected have not been limited to those
obviously suitable, but many doubtful and difficult cases have also been treated by
this method, with or without the assistance of other forms of treatment, and these
are embraced in the results recorded below. Naturally, the effect of including these
cases is to reduce the percentage of successful results, but on the other hand quite a
fair number are eventually cleared up, and are thus saved from the necessity of a
mastoid operation. Of the 454 cases which were still under treatment at the end
of 1925, 87 were found to be quite healed without any further ionisation in 1926.
These should be added on to the number of "discharged cured" cases for 1925,
but this could not be done at the time the last report was written, since these
cases were not examined until early in 1926.
The two instruments which are working from batteries instead of the main
current, viz., those at Popham Road treatment centre and at Breakspears Road,
have done well to last without renewal of batteries since April, 1925, and still show
no signs of running out. A fair number of repairs to "ear pieces," "indifferent
electrodes," "leads," etc., have had to be executed during the year, but this is
inevitable in spite of fair treatment and care. The upkeep in running costs spread
over the year is negligible.
The total number of ears ionised was 1,392. The total number "discharged
cured" 762. The number which lapsed from various causes 57. The number
referred to hospital for operation 137, and the number still under treatment at the
end of the vear was 436.