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170
In Circular 1,337a the Minister of Health suggests that:—
" Wherever practicable it is, of course, desirable that the treatment
of ear diseases should be entrusted to a medical practitioner
who has special experience of this work, and in areas where such a
specialist is engaged for the School Medical Service, arrangements
could no doubt be made for his services to be available to the
Maternity and Child Welfare Authority."
When judged by these official pronouncements it will be seen that
the arrangements in this area are lacking in:—
(1) The provision of an "audiometer" for ascertaining the presence
of deafness in children ;
(2) The services of an ear specialist for the treatment of special cases.
The "Audiometer" is an instrument which has come to the front in
this country during the last two years. It is practically a gramophone
reproducing the graded pitch of the human voice. Earphones test each
ear separately, and as many as 40 children can be tested at a time. Valuable
results are said to have been obtained in many American cities. Investigations
in this country show that, of all children tested by means of the
audiometer, from 6 per cent. to 10 per cent. are found to have defective
hearing.
After consideration of these observations the appropriate
Authorities decided to purchase an audiometer at a cost of £26 10s.
for use in special cases; but it was not considered that the services
of an ear specialist were necessary at present.
UNHEALTHY TONSILS AND ADENOIDS.
An Investigation into the Results of Surgical Operation
for Removal.
(By Dr. Mary Gilchrist.)
The removal of diseased or enlarged tonsils and adenoids has
been for some years one of the most frequently performed surgical
operations, especially in children of school age. Lately certain
members of the medical profession have suggested that, as with all
new forms of treatment, the pendulum had swung too far in one
direction and that operations were being performed in cases which
would, if left alone, clear up without any surgical interference.
The school medical officer is in a particularly favourable
position to note both the progress of these cases and the results
of the performance or non-performance of operation in the case of
children who have suffered from enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
The present investigation was undertaken, not so much in the hope