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22
During 1929 the Minor Ailment Clinic has still suffered from
a lack of continuity of supervision, but this I hope will be materially
altered during the year 1930.
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.
Wherever necessary the services of your ambulance are available
for bringing children home after operation, but I do feel it
wise that as and when possible, you should make arrangements
for the detention of these children following the operation.
Tuberculosis. —The care of tubercular children is in the hands
of the County Council. There is a lot of overlapping.
In London, tuberculosis, orthopaedics and many other special
services are quite incoordinate, particularly so where people run
from one hospital to another as their fancy takes them, and the
time has come when there should be a general conference on the
whole question, with the intent that a sound scheme should be
evolved to prevent the present losses in time and efficiency.
Skin Diseases.—The loss of time from school owing to various
skin diseases amongst the scholars is still capable of improvement.
I am hopeful that more continuous supervision of the Minor Ailment
Clinic will achieve an improvement in this direction, and I do
suggest you should entertain the possibility of appointing a nurse
whose duty it would be to work continuously in the Clinic.
We cannot over-estimate the very real work which is being
done by the Plaistow nurses, but these are being replaced every
few months, with the result that there is not that personal intimate
acquaintance with the individual children who come up to the
Clinic repeatedly and who could be dealt with more expeditiously
than they are at present if the Clinic were in the hands of someone
who had a permanent appointment there.
The treatment of ringworm of the head is satisfactorily carried
on by X — Ray and you yourselves have provided amenities for
treating cases of scabies.