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finished in time to have its "premiere" in the Town Hall before Dr. Booth retired in
October.
The film was made primarily for use in schools in Middlesex and in particular for
girls aged 10 to 12 years, but subsequent experience has shown that it is popular with
younger children and also with parents. The film is called "52 Small Bones" which is
the actual number of bones in any one pair of feet. It is in colour, lasts for 20 minutes,
and has a music and sound commentary. From the very first the aim was to devise an
attractive beginning and end, and to let the pictures tell the story as much as possible.
The film starts by showing feet in action in many places as for example, a policeman
on point duty, a window cleaner climbing his ladder, children paddling on the beach,
and goes on to show that because of splashing vehicles, dirty pavements, broken
milk bottles and other hazards, shoes have to be worn in this country. It contrasts the
perfect feet of people living in the warmer parts of the world who wear no shoes, with
foot deformity developing in girls of this country. It shows by diagrams and action
shots, the anatomy and function of the human foot and how the latter is impeded by
wearing high-heeled shoes.
Interwoven among the facts is the story of two girls, Jane and Mary, who grow up
together. Jane has a sensible mother who is seen taking the right sort of care of her
daughter's feet. Mary's mother, however, is foolish and ruins her daughter's feet by
letting Mary wear a pair of shoes for far too long a period so that they become too
small for her, and later by allowing her to wear pointed casuals before she is 10 years
old. Consequently by the age of 15 years Mary is found leaving a party long before
Jane, as her feet are "killing" her, and the film goes on to predict that Mary will suffer
a great deal in later life from her deformed feet. The film ends with a wedding, and a
plea for the very best care of children's feet at all times.
"52 Small Bones" has been well received so far, and there have been several enquiries
about hiring or purchasing a copy of the film.
This is very encouraging, for it is hoped that by this means the principles of good foot
care should spread beyond Ealing and Middlesex to other parts of the country.
The routine work of this department during the year is detailed in the following
table:—
Children inspected 5,593
Referrals to Doctor 93
Referrals to Chiropodist 55
Verrucae 46
Defective shoes 1,552
Everted ankles 83
Hallux Valgus 1,210
Tinea 44
ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC
Mr. J. A. Cholmeley, the Orthopaedic Consultant reports:—
"The figures of attendances remain amazingly steady in all groups.
Apart from statistics I do welcome the opening of the new orthopaedic department
at Ravenor Park. It says a lot for the good temper and efficiency of all concerned that
there was no falling off in the work done in the temporary accommodation while the
rebuilding of the clinic was being carried out.
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