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79
considerable increase in the cost of hospital treatment,
as compared with 1934. This money is, however, in my
opinion, well spent, as the provision of such treatment
to children in very many cases has the effect of rendering
what otherwise might have been cripples, useful members
of society, who become self-supporting and in many
cases physically quite normal.
Ultra Violet Ray Therapy.
Light treatment is carried out at the Becontree and
Dagenham Clinics, two sessions being held weekly at
each of the premises. The eases 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 Officer,
payment for which is made by the County Education
Committee to the Dagenham Council.
A course of treatment commences with a two
minutes exposure back and front, working up to a six
minutes double exposure, being 12 exposures in all.
The clinics close down from May to September.
243 children commenced treatment of whom 133
completed one course, 28 completed two courses and one
completed three courses. The commonest condition
for which children were referred was rickets.
Dental Treatment.
17 extraction sessions were held, at which 167
children were treated and 168 mothers, making a total
of 415 attendances. A charge is made for each case
(not per attendance), the amount depending upon the
financial circumstances of the family. The amount
received was £14 0s. 0d., and the nett cost of this
service was £50 0s. 0d.