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24
The scheme for the provision of milk and meals in schools
was continued, the latter service being further developed, and
by the end of the year an average of 26,702 meals were being
served weekly as compared with 25,914 at the end of the previous
year. In this connection I am indebted to the Borough
Education Officer who has made every endeavour to give
priority to any child recommended for meals on medical
grounds, or where conditions of hardship existed in the family.
MEDICAL TREATMENT.
It is not proposed to set out again details of the various
forms of treatment which are provided for the school children
as these have been enumerated and described on a number of
occasions. I should like, however, to make particular refertnce
to certain of these activities.
AURAL CLINIC.
This clinic was established in 1945 and since that date
the volume of work being undertaken has steadily increased.
At this clinic treatment is carried out for abnormal conditions
of the ear, nose and throat which are particularly common in
children of school age, as it is then that a child is developing
his normal immunity to various forms of infection, and in the
process abnormal conditions of the ear, nose and throat tend
to develop.
A judicial survey is also made of all children referred for
operative treatment, particularly tonsillectomy, and it is found
that a large proportion of them respond to milder forms of
treatment thus obviating the necessity of operative procedure.
I am indebted to Dr. F. P. Clarke, the Bar, Nose and Throat
Surgeon, for the following report:—
"The work of the ear, nose and throat clinic, begun
three years ago, has progressed very satisfactorily during
the past year, 1947. The attendances at the different
'treatment clinics' have been on the whole very good.
There is always a certain number of cases who will not continue
to complete the full course of treatment prescribed,