View report page

88
Consideration of the distribution of these cases suggests that the explanation
is to be sought in connection with the smallpox prevalence in London during this
period. The children in the schools, especially in the eastern division, are being
constantly scrutinised by school doctors or school nurses, and the examination
made for smallpox is precisely that which would detect mild and doubtful scabies.
Statistics.
Rheumatism Scheme—1929.
Cases seen by medical referee in hospitals 46
„ „ „ „ homes 200
„ „ „ „ clinics 49
„ „ „ „ County Hall 43
Reports made on home conditions (Form R.B.) 280
"Following-up" reports made (Form R.C.) 317
Cases seen at County Hall on return from hospital 178
Re-examinations by school doctors 355
Special reports obtained on cases (whether under treatment, enquiries into complaints, etc.) 322
Cases reported to medical officers of health as to dampness, etc. 37
Cases referred to housing branch for better accommodation 16
Cases seen at Rheumatism Supervisory Clinics—
Hospital for Sick Children 184 new cases 1,847 re-inspections.
Royal Waterloo Hospital 226 „ 707 „
Queen's Hospital for Children 273 „ 625 „
Elizabeth Bullock Centre 205 „ 439 „
Downham Centre 199 „ 420 „
There are also supervisory clinics in Paddington, Kensington, and Marylebone, but the
Council has no particulars of the cases attending these clinics.
Cases reported to I.C.A.A. 250
Cases reported on by I.C.A.A. 301
Number of children with rheumatic symptoms placed on register
since commencement of scheme 11,000 approx.

The
rheumatism
scheme.
Dr. J. N.
Dobbie.
Details concerning the Council's scheme for the registration and supervision of
all rheumatic children and the organisation of institutional treatment for children
with active rheumatism, have been given in the Annual Reports for 1926-8. Dr.
J. Nairn Dobbie again reports as follows :—
" The number of names on the register up to the end of 1929 was over 11,000.
Most are under observation by the school doctors and are followed up by the children's
care organisation. Included in the register are the names of 196 boys and 348
girls specially nominated for institutional treatment under the scheme ; the decreased
nominations during 1929 are mainly due to the shortage of beds, to which
attention was drawn in previous reports.
" Although no permanent arrangement for augmenting the number of beds
was made during the year, the Metropolitan Asylums Board through the courtesy
of the medical superintendents at Queen Mary's Hospital, Carshalton, and at High
Wood Hospital, have accepted for treatment many children in addition to the number
agreed under the scheme.