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

View report page

Finchley 1937

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]

This page requires JavaScript

(f) Vision.
The Ophthalmic Surgeon attends one session per week
at the Clinic at the Martin School and examines all children
suffering from defects of vision or other eye conditions referred
to her.
During 1937, 200 children were referred for examination
; 190 were submitted to refraction—spectacles were
prescribed in 175 cases and 148 actually obtained spectacles.
In 7 of these cases the parents were unable to pay the whole
cost of the spectacles and the Children's Care Committee
subscribed varying sums towards the purchase.
(g) Ear Disease and Hearing.
Children suffering from ear discharge and defective
hearing are dealt with at the Minor Ailments Clinic at
Bourchier House. During the year 101 children were treated.
(h) Dental Defects.
I am indebted to Mr. C. R. Wilshaw, the Senior Dental
Officer for the following report on the year's work.
DENTAL REPORT 1937.
As particular interest is now being focussed on the
School Dental Service as a gesture in the National Health
Campaign, it is, perhaps, appropriate in this Report to set.out
the aims and achievements of the Finchley School Dental
Service.
The object of the service is to eliminate oral sepsis in
order to prevent its ill effects on the body as a whole, and to
seek out cavities and repair all saveable teeth that sepsis
may be prevented and the masticatory efficiency of the mouth
maintained. The scheme includes the pupils of both elementary
and secondary schools and the procedure adopted is as
follows.
Inspections are carried out annually at the schools and
the parents of the elementary school children are invited by
notices to be present. As may be expected it is the parents
91