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75
Rheumatism in Children.
The year past has seen increased attention paid to the rheumatic child. The
decision of the Council to encourage the establishment of rheumatic supervisory
centres has been carried into effect. In addition to the centres already in being
which were described last year, two new rheumatic supervisory centres at voluntary
hospitals have been established in close relationship with the Council's organisation
of children's care, viz., at the Queen's Hospital, Hackney, and at Waterloo Hospital
for Women and Children, Waterloo Road; the rheumatic clinic at the Hospital for
Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, has also been brought into organic relationship
with the Council's children's care system, and, in addition, two directly administered
supervisory rheumatism centres have been established at the Downham School
Treatment Centre and the Elizabeth Bullock School Treatment Centre in Wandsworth-road.
There has been a further extension of beds placed at the Council's
disposal for rheumatic children by the courtesy of the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Dr. Nairn Dobbie, upon whom the bulk of the Council's supervisory work in
regard to rheumatic children has fallen, himself attends the two centres directly
established, and gives the following account of the work performed:—
"By arrangement with the Metropolitan Asylums Board 10 extra beds for
sub-acute rheumatic girls have been secured at High Wood Hospital, Brentwood.
The number of beds now available under the scheme is as here stated—for acute
cases at Carshalton, 60 beds; for sub-acute cases (girls) at Carshalton, 16 beds; at
Highwood, 66 beds; (boys) at Highwood, 28 beds.
"The Register containing all the names of rheumatic children brought to the
notice of the School Medical Officer up to the end of December, 1928, contains the
names of 8,059 children. In this list are included the names of 261 boys and 447
girls specially nominated during 1928 by assistant school medical officers, hospital
and private practitioners for institutional treatment under the Council's scheme.
These nominations are far in excess of the present available beds. Those children
whose conditions appeared to be most urgent for institutional treatment were
examined and their homes visited by an assistant school medical officer. In this
connection 78 visits were made during the year to general and special hospitals
and 325 home visits were made. In order that, when possible, some provision
should be made for all nominated children, co-operation has been established with
the Invalid Children's Aid Association, and full information is obtained as to the
supervision and treatment received by the great majority of these children not
admitted to beds under the scheme. 440 names were referred to the Invalid
Children's Aid Association, which fully reported on 411 children and arranged for
the treatment of many.
Dr. Nairn
Dobbie's
report.

Nomination
of rheumatic
children,
1928.