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(e) Nose and Throat Defects.—Cases of enlarged tonsils and adenoids continue to
bulk largely in the School Medical Inspection returns. The Medical Officers however,
do not refer these cases for operative treatment unless they are of the opinion that the
child is suffering ill-health because of the throat condition. The Specialists at Queen
Mary's Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital, to which most of your cases go, corroborate
the opinion of your Medical Officers before an operation is performed.
(f) Ear Disease and Defective Hearing.—The number of cases of ear disease found
at routine medical inspection does not show any significant variation from the figures for
1932.
(g) Dental Defects.—Dental defects are noted by the School Medical Officers at
routine medical inspection, the notice of the Dental Surgeons being drawn to urgent
cases. Cases requiring the teeth made regular or straight or other special treatment
are also referred to the School Dentist. The report of the School Dental Surgeon will
be found on pages 32-34 of this report.
(h) Orthopcedic and Postural Defects.—A number of children are seen at routine
medical inspection who present varying degrees of Postural Defects such as round
shoulders, crooked spine, and bad stance. The more serious of this group are sent to
the Orthopasdic Surgeon under the Authority's scheme. In addition to this group of
cases, various Orthopaedic conditions are seen which have existed from birth, or have
arisen following an illness such as Infantile Paralysis. All such cases are seen by the
Orthopaedic Surgeon, and where necessary, attendance at the Faircross Special School
is recommended.
(i) Heart Disease and Rheumatism.—A number of cases of chronic heart disease
attend the elementary schools, and are seen at re-inspections by your Medical Officers.
Some of these are still suffering from rheumatic affection, and are attending at hospitals
serving the area. Some of these cases are so bad as to require transference to the Faircross
Special School, and can only be classified as cardiac cripples. Cases of acute
Rheumatism are rarely seen at the inspection, these being treated by practitioners of the
district, a number being sent as in-patients in the hospitals. We have no special
Rheumatic Clinic.
(j) Tuberculosis.—The number of cases found at routine medical inspections appears
small, but is not a true figure of the amount of Tuberculosis in children of school age.
These children are frequently absent from school for long periods, and are seldom present
at school when routine medical inspections are being held.
Nine cases of Tuberculosis amongst children of school age were notified to the
Medical Officer of Health during the year. Of these, three were pulmonary, and six
were non-pulmonary. In addition, eleven notified cases of Tuberculosis amongst
school-children were transferred to this area. Of these, five were pulmonary, and six
non-pulmonary.