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20
(8) MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT.
Minor Ailment Clinic.—Minor ailments are treated daily at
the Clinic at East Street. Three nurses attend from the Plaistow
Maternity Charity, and the Clinic is opened at 8.30 a.m.
During the year, on three half-days a week, one of these
nurses has taken the place of the Dental Nurse, and has been in
attendance on the dentist; and has also been in attendance,
together with the Dental Nurse, on the mornings when there have
been gas sessions.
That this Minor Ailment Clinic is capable of meeting a very
real need, for which there is a demand, is seen from the figures for
the current year. It will be noted that the attendance was nearly
doubled. This is due to the fact that the term " minor ailment"
has been generously interpreted, and without in the least encroaching
on the realms of private practice it has been found a large amount
of work can be done to the benefit of the scholars of the town and
to their parents.
This has meant time, not only for the work to be done, but
for it to be co-ordinated, and I very much regret that with our
available medical staff the Minor Ailment Clinic cannot take the
place it could take, and in my opinion cannot undertake the work
it should undertake.
Not only have we undertaken work prescribed by ourselves,
but in many cases children have attended the large London hospitals
for advice, and, by arrangement, we have carried out the treatment
they have prescribed, to the considerable financial advantage of the
parents of these children.
Tonsils and Adenoids.—Operations for the surgical treatment
of tonsils and adenoids are carried out by arrangement with
Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, and St. Mary's Hospital, Plaistow.
I have indicated to you in a previous part of the report how
necessary I think it is to revise the present contract so that it
shall include the detention of these children following operation.