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284
Environment and Other Conditions in Rheumatism Clinic Cases.
Wards.—Cases were drawn from all wards in the town to
the numbers shown:—Woodside, 8; VVhitehorse Manor, 6; West
Thornton, 6; Upper Norwood, 4; Broad Green, 2; Waddon, 8;
Addiscombe, 4; Thornton Heath, 7; East, 1; South Norwood,
4; Bensham Manor, 5; Central, 2; Norbury, 3; South, 2; and
Addington, nil.
Housing Conditions: Subsoil.—No relationship was found to
exist between the type of subsoil and the incidence of rheumatic
infection. This finding was similar to the findings of the three
previous years.
Drainage of Subsoil.—41 of the houses were sufficiently
drained and 8 were well drained; and in 13 drainage was
problematical. 25 of the houses shewed no signs of dampness;
27 shewed traces; 5 were damp; and 1 was very damp.
Aspect.—The commonest aspects of the houses were : S.E.,
6; S.W., 6; E., 7; N.E., 12; N.W., 11; S., 6; N., 7; W., 14.
The bulk of houses in which cases occurred were ordinary
terrace houses (34) or semi-detached (14), and definite overcrowding
was found in one family.
The economic status of the families from whom patients
came was: poor in 7; average working class, 24; better working
class, 17; clerical work, 6; and superior, 5. The interior home
conditions could be classified as : clean, 37; moderately clean, 15;
superior, 8; and in no instance definitely unsatisfactory.
OPEN-AIR EDUCATION.
There is as yet no open-air school in Croydon. Playground
classes were held during the summer months at Woodside
School. There was no extension of these classes during 1933.
BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC CHILDREN.
Full statistical details are given in Table III. of the Tables
required by the Board of Education, Appendix III.
Blind Children.
Six boys and 3 girls are resident at special schools for the
blind. The institutions which these children attend are as