View report page

137
were increased temporarily to two per week to deal with an accumulation
of cases arising out of the special enquiry into the prevalence
of aflenoids.
During the course of the year, and during the opening weeks
of 1925, the procedure in regard to the clinics was modified in some
directions, and is now as follows:—
1. The homes are first visited by the health visitors, adverse
conditions reported on, and, so far as possible, remedied.
Where a family occupy only one room, or a family occupying
two rooms, cannot temporarily adjust their sleeping
accommodation to give reasonably satisfactory quarters
for the child during the few days following the operation,
the Committee have authorised admission to the Croydon
General Hospital at the time of operation by prior arrangement.
2. Children with dental sepsis undergo treatment at the dental
clinic before operation.
3. The children attend the throat clinic on three successive
sessions, at intervals of a week; at the first, the fitness of
the child for operation is confirmed and verbal and printed
instructions given; at the second, the operation is performed;
at the third the surgeon verifies the result of the
operation.
4. An ambulance is provided for the conveyance to their homes
after operation of children for whom the parents have not
made other satisfactory arrangements.
5. The health visitor for the district calls at the home on the
day following the operation, to ascertain the child's condition.
6. The children are then drafted on to a class held for mouth-
breathers, in connection with the Remedial Exercises
Clinic. They attend daily for four weeks, the lesson lasting
about half-an-hour. Parents attend on the first and
last days of instruction, when the child is examined by a
medical officer.
During the year 252 children underwent operation at the
clinic on account of enlarged tonsils or of adenoids.
224 children attended the breathers' class during the year,
nearly all of whom had undergone operations for tonsils and