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82
Ultra Violet Therapy.
Light treatment is carried out at the Becontree and at the
Dagenham Clinics, two sessions being held weekly. The cases
treated are referred from the Infant Welfare Centres and all
children are seen by the Medical Officer every fortnight. A few
children of school age are referred by the School Medical Office'
A course of treatment commences with a two minutes exposure
back and front working up to a 6 minutes double exposure, being
12 exposures in all. Many children had two courses of exposures.
The Clinics closed down from May to September.
279 children commenced treatment, of whom 180 completed
the course. One-half of the cases were referred on account of
rickets. Of those under 2 years of age, most showed a definite
improvement, though a number required two courses. Another
10 per cent, of cases were treated on account of flabbiness, and a
further 25 per cent, for malnutrition or debility. Some of the
younger infants showed some improvement, but the percentage
of cases in respect of whom no improvement was noted was much
greater in those over 2 years of age.
Dental Treatment.
9 extraction sessions were held, at which 65 children were
treated and 171 mothers, making a total of 291 attendances. In
addition a few patients had conservative treatment. A charge is
made for each case (not per attendance), the amount depending
upon the financial circumstances of the family. The amount
received was £3 4s. 6d. and the net cost of this service was
£19 0s. Od.
Dentures are provided, usually only to those cases referred
from the ante-natal clinic. The amount recovered as patients
contributions was £30 14s. 9d., leaving a sum of £170 5s. 3d. as
the cost of the Council.
Convalescent Home.
Six mothers with their babies, and one child, were admitted to
Convalescent Homes at a cost of £33 16s. l0d.
Other Provisions.
Three children under 5 years of age were supplied with
spectacles at a cost of 15s. Od.
One child is being maintained at the Royal Deaf and Dump
School, Margate, the cost for 1932 being £71 15s. Od.