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109
In November a course of Orthopaedics for School Medical
Officers was inaugurated by Mr. H. J. Seddon, meetings being
held at the Town Hall Centre, Hendon, by permission of His
Worship the Mayor and also at the Royal National Orthopaedic
Hospital, Stanmore.
The course was designed for the information of School
Medical Officers in dealing with such orthopaedic defects as they
are likely to meet in the course of their work and I had the honour
to be asked to deliver an opening address on “Orthopaedics in
Relation to Public Health.” The following synopsis of my address
appeared in “Public Health,” the official Journal of the Society
of Medical Officers :—
"In an opening address to a course on 'Public Health in
Relation to Orthopaedics,' recently held in Hendon, Dr. A.
Fairgrieve Adamson, the Medical Officer of Health of the Borough,
drew attention to a number of points connected with the subject
that are deserving of more general notice. The emphasis he laid
upon the importance of extending the scheme not only to school
children but to children under five years of age, for example, is
noteworthy, since undoubtedly a considerable number of
orthopaedic defects are found in the latter group, and treatment,
if given early, may lead to saving of time and trouble when the
child arrives at school age. The question of the prevention of
orthopaedic defects, naturally was noted, and the importance of
those engaged in maternity and child welfare work being always
observant of any slight deviation from the normal in the gait and
carriage of a child, as indicating possibly an early rickets, was
stressed. In this connection the marked decrease in tuberculous
lesions of bones and joints was brought out and the hope expressed
that other infective conditions, such as infantile paralysis, might
ultimately come within the field of practical preventive medicine.
Postural defects of children attending the public elementary schools
and the need for the careful supervision of their physical training
were referred to, and regret expressed at the neglect of the adult
cripple and the lack of adequate facilities either for supervision
or treatment of these unfortunates. Many of these, as children
attending the elementary schools, have been under continuous
treatment, but although it would be to their benefit and, incidentally,
to the benefit of the community if treatment could be con-