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The great advantage of this apparatus, apart from the large number (up to 40) which can be
tested at one sitting, is that the voice is constant at each degree of intensity of sound, and consequently
all are tested under identical conditions as far as the voice is concerned. The conditions
which are likely to vary are such as the surroundings, e.g., noisy traffic outside the examination
room at one time and quiet at another, or the correct adjustment of the headphone to
the ear; if there is mal-adjustment of the headphone at one time and not at another, the result
is bound to vary ; so, too, the result will vary according to the amount of noise, etc., surrounding
the examination room. Such variations as these can be eliminated with care and arrangement.
During the year the children of Exmouth-street school were submitted to the test. The
number of children tested was 420.

By "failing" is meant those who showed at least 9 units of defective hearing out of 100 in
one or other ear.

Thus it will be seen that, on being re-tested, 100 of those who failed at the first test passed
on the second occasion ; two were absent and missed the re-test; while 33 still failed.
To follow this up to its logical conclusion, these 33 were then submitted to a physical examination
to see if any cause for the hearing defect could be found.
At the examination two of these children were absent.
The remaining 31 children had 40 ears which showed hearing defect. Of these 40 ears, 38
ears showed conditions which could have been the cause of the hearing defect.
Of the 31 children, 24 would be likely to benefit from treatment of their defective condition.

An interesting point is that, of the 33 children who failed at both tests, only two had been
noted on their medical record cards to be suffering from any defect of hearing.
Dr. Crowden, of the London School of Hygiene, who is greatly interested in the subject,
and who has carried out examinations in the Council's deaf schools and elsewhere, has been
accumulating statistics, and is making an exhaustive analysis from the results he has obtained.
It has been thought that when this report is issued it may contain indications suggesting certain
lines on which to proceed in such a way as to secure the greatest profit, regard being had at the
same time to the financial situation.
A good year's work is again recorded at the after-care clinic, Kentish Town. It is here that After-care
the residential school children are treated. Cases that have been operated on for mastoid disease clinic,
at the Downs Hospital for Children form the bulk of the remainder of the work done here ; while Kentish
there is also a sprinkling of miscellaneous cases from the schools, and members of the Council's Town,
staff, e.g., nurses and other employees sent by the medical examiner for a specialist's opinion.
Total attendance 5,564
Number of ionisations 2,175
Ultra-violet irradiations 255
Dressings to ears 2,661