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14
The method employed involves the use of a special slitlamp
for examination of the vascular supply of the cornea,
and the rest of the examination involves the mouth, mucous
membranes, the condition of the skin and certain groups of
muscles. The whole examination of the individual takes some
four to five minutes and does not involve therefore any pain
or discomfort to the examinee and very little dislocation of the
work in the institution or factory in which the investigation
is taking place.
Several factories were contacted either by telephone or
letter but it was found that while some of these firms were
working at top pressure and were reluctant to agree to anything
that might disorganise their production departments, eight
works were eventually able to co-operate.
It had been originally intended for Dr. Adcock to begin
the survey on Monday, 29th January, with the examination
of children over 8 years of age at West Street Junior Boys'
and Girls' but on arrival at the school it was found that the
pipes had burst owing to the frost and the children on the
point of returning home. Examinations were eventually
carried out at Crescent Road Junior School with the co-operation
of the Head Teacher. On the second day, children from
St. Augustine's Road Junior Boys' and Girls' attended Hainault
school clinic, and were conveyed to and from the school by
car in batches of eight. It was feared at first that the thick
snow and the condition of the roads would have an effect on
attendance but by the end of the morning a total of twentyseven
children had been seen and examined.
On two occasions, Wednesday 31st January and Monday
5th February, it was uncertain as to whether the factories
would have sufficient volunteers to keep Dr. Adcock employed
for the whole of the day, the examination being purely
voluntary on the part of the employee and actually in both
instances it was found that by the end of the morning no
further volunteers were forthcoming. It was therefore necessary
to attend a school without previous notice but the head
teachers at both the schools concerned co-operated in everyway
possible, and as a result about fifty children were seen on
each occasion.