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Severe cases of visual defect, or cases in which there is an element of doubt in prescribing
suitable lenses are referred to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital.
455 cases of visual defect were dealt with under the Authority's Scheme. Of this
number, 400 were provided with spectacles ; 93 cases obtained spectacles from other
sources.
The Optician approved by the Authority carried out a number of minor repairs
to spectacles which had already been provided.
Cases of external eye disease, such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis, are treated at
the Authority's Minor Ailments Clinics. 187 cases were thus treated during the year
as compared with 207 during 1932.
(e) Nose and Throat Defects.—An arrangement has been made between the
Authority and two local Hospitals (Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, and St. Mary's
Hospital, Plaistow), for the removal of tonsils and adenoids, this being by far the commonest
surgical nose and throat condition found at school medical inspection. Specialists
attend at these Hospitals twice weekly and see cases referred by your Medical
Officers. If an operation is found necessary, the patient is given a form to present at
the Public Health Department ; this form is exchanged for an operation voucher. The
scheme for payment is outlined on page 26 of this report.
In ordinary cases the patients are brought home by the Barking Ambulance, the
Public Health Department being notified by telephone of the operations performed.
The School Nurses visit all cases the day of their return home, to see that the patient's condition
is satisfactory and to give appropriate advice for the after-care. Special cases
are retained in Hospital for as long as the Surgeon considers necessary, the expense
being met by the Authority.
On recovery, and before returning to School, the patients' throats are examined
by one of your Medical Officers at the Minor Ailments Clinic. In Group III of Table IV
on page 46, will be found a complete analysis of the ascertained results of the treatment
of nose and throat defects.
(f) Ear Disease and Defective Hearing.—Barking is so near the large London hospitals,
particularly the Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, that the treatment of ear
disease at your Clinic has been restricted to just the ordinary medical treatment, to which
a number of ears respond readily, the remainder being sent, where necessary, to the
special ear department of these hospitals.
(g) Dental Defects.—The treatment of dental defects is dealt with specially in a
part of this report prepared by Mr. Foy, the Dental Surgeon.
In reviewing the work of the Dental Clinic, I must again draw the attention of the
Authority to the laxity shown by some parents in keeping Clinic appointments,—not only
those appointments made during term, but particularly appointments given during
periods of school closure.