London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Finchley 1908

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]

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73
opinion, and it is felt that such advice should come from the
medical attendant. Enquiries are always carefully made to
ascertain whether medical advice has been obtained. In
17 instances the parents have sought further advice, and in
one instance at least information has been received that
operative treatment has resulted in the greatest benefit, the
child having improved mentally and physically.
EARS.
Ten children were found to be suffering from discharge
from the ears, 6 boys and 4 girls. Otorrhœa (discharge from
the ears) is a very common sequel to Measles and Scarlet
Fever, and it is a matter of the greatest importance that this
should be properly attended to. This is another of the complaints
that parents are liable to treat lightly; in reality it
is a matter of the greatest consequence, as in many cases it
leads to permanent deafness, and often to diseased bone and
other troublesome complications which may last for years.
Every effort has been made to impress this upon the parents,
but with what success remains doubtful.
Twelve children (8 boys and 4 girls) were found to be
suffering from deafness, not the result of otorrhohœ or adenoids
so far as could be ascertained. In six instances, further
advice has been obtained.
HEART DISEASE.
In 9 instances heart disease was found to exist (6 boys
and 3 girls). In some cases this was already known to the
parents, but in several instances it was only revealed by the
medical examination. The parents have been urged to obtain
medical advice, and in addition, the family medical attendant
has been communicated with so as to ensure that the child
comes under medical supervision. In the majority of cases
the heart has been well compensated, and no special treatment—I
have been informed by the Medical Attendant-—has
been required. In one or two cases only have the heart
lesions been of the more serious nature.