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42
(1) Convalescent Treatment.—During 1936 a number of mothers and children
were recommended for convalescent treatment. The following table shows the
number of mothers and children who have been treated :—
No. treated.
Mothers and tiddlers 9
Toddlers (under 5 years of age) 12
(m) Ophthalmic Clinic.—On pages 49 to 50 will be found the Report of your
Consulting Ophthalmic Surgeon upon the work of the Ophthalmic Clinics during
the year.
During the year a squint training clinic was commenced and details of the
work of this clinic will be found in the above Report.
(n) Ultra-Violet Light Clinic.—Special advantage has been taken of the
increased facilities for ultra-violet light treatment, and during the year no less than
2,462 treatments were given to toddlers as compared with 747 treatments for the
previous year.
(o) Dental Treatment.—Details of the work of the Dental Clinics will be found
in the Dental Surgeon's Report on page 55, and I am still in a position to report
favourably upon the work of these Clinics.
(p) Immunisation Clinic.—The scope of this clinic has been extended during
the year.
So far the numbers who have been immunised against diphtheria are too
small to influence the number of cases occurring in Barking.
A considerable proportion of the child population, particularly toddlers,
would have to be immunised before there would be any appreciable falling off in
the number of cases of diphtheria.
Rapid and safely produced immunity can be induced by means of injections
and without any unpleasant effects—173 children were immunised during the
year.
Immunisation against scarlet fever has also been started and 18 children
completed their course of injections.
It is hoped soon to offer immunisation against whooping cough. Not only is
this a particularly distressing complaint but the death returns show that last year
it was fatal in the cases of 4 children under one year of age.