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according to the Oculist's prescriptions. All these children are
inspected by the doctors on their visits to the school. Unfortunately
a great deal of this work is wasted through the carelessness
of parents who fail to insist on the children wearing the
spectacles and through frequent breakages. Squints receive
special and adequate attention.
Ear Disease and Hearing.
A large number of cases of Otorrhœa are treated in the Minor
Ailment Clinic with varying success, many cases being of a chronic
nature and the improvement achieved being of only a temporary
character. Appropriate cases are referred to the Queen Mary's
Hospital under our scheme for removal of tonsils and adenoids.
Still very many remain in a hopelessly chronic incurable condition.
Some Authorities employ an Aural Specialist to direct the
treatment of these cases, and the latest form of treatment is by
ionization. A certain amount of good appears to have resulted
from this treatment, but it may still be regarded as in a more or
less experimental stage. A few hopelessly deaf children have
been sent to residential institutions.
Dental Defects.
Leyton school children have the advantage of the services of
two whole-time Dental Surgeons. They visit the schools weekly
and examine the young children (5 years) and select cases requiring
treatment. These the parents are invited to bring to the Town
Hall for treatment. All these children are followed up during
their whole school career. Casual cases are also attended to and
cases are referred for treatment by the inspecting doctors. (See
Table IV., Group IV.)
Crippling Defects and Orthopœdics.
These cases, principally the result of Infantile Paralysis, are
being attended by surgeons on the . staff of the various London
Hospitals, and are, with few exceptions, able to attend the
ordinary school. Adjustments are made on the advice of the
School Medical Officer as to the most suitable schools to send these
cases. Schools where the department attended by the cripple are
on the ground floor are selected in appropriate cases. The Council
also assist parents to purchase apparatus, bath chairs and so on.
Certain cases, comparatively few, are sent to special residential
institutions—Brookfields Hospital coming in for the lion's share.