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149
" The first defect in a squinting eye—poor vision—can be remedied
" almost always by treatment which has been known and used for many
" years. In some cases this improvement in vision will .result in a
" straightening of the eye ; but when this does not occur the eye can be put
" straight by operation. The second defect—lack of stereoscopic vision—
" is not influenced by these forms of treatment.
" Methods of training stereoscopic vision have been devised recently.
" Some of these methods are good, but some are bad for the eyes. Care
" is therefore needed in supervising the methods used.
" It is obvious that if stereoscopic vision can be obtained in addition
" to better sight and straightness in a squinting eye, the result is more
" complete and—from a wage earning point of view—the jpatient is better
" fitted for earning a good living.
" I have for some time been dissatisfied with the position as regards
" squint. An average taken of eight successive years shows that there are
" about 148 cases a year. For these I am able to do a little by the use of
" atropine and covering, but there is no possibility of my training their
" binocular vision. Without binocular vision the value of the eyes, as
" regards earning capacity, is very greatly reduced. The L.C.C. have
" instituted for squint training, centres where binocular vision is trained.
" 1 suggest that it is of great importance that the children of Lcvton should
" receive a similar attention."
Following a special report submitted by the School Medical Officer
and Medical Officer of Health to the Education Authority and the
Maternity and Child Welfare Authority in July, the Council decided
to establish a special Squint Clinic for the treatment and training
of children suffering from squint.
School Dental Service.
For the purposes of school dental inspection and treatment
the Borough is divided into two areas, each being served by its
own dental clinic in charge of a school dental surgeon. The dental
staff consists of two dental surgeons, of whom one devotes the whole
of his time to the school dental service, while the other also undertakes
dental work in connection with the Council's Maternity and
Child Welfare Scheme.
As the number of children attending public elementary schools
in the area is approximately 14,000, each dental surgeon is responsible
for some 7,000 children, a number much in excess of that which one
dental surgeon can inspect and treat efficiently each year. The
result is that, instead of providing dental inspection and treatment
annually, the period between one dental inspection and the next is
about 14 months.
Dental Inspection in Schools.
The number of children belonging to the routine age groups
inspected in school by the school dental surgeons was 10,921, i.e.,