London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Leyton 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]

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132
The incidence of myopia (3.2 per cent, of the school population)
is higher than in former years. This figure has been slightly
increasing during the last 12 years I have been in charge of the
clinic, but has not reached the point when special notice should be
taken of it. It is hardly necessary to stress in this connection the
importance of posture in reading and writing. Though not a
direct cause of myopia, a bad reading or writing position cannot
fail to have an evil influence in subjects prone to myopia or to
progressive myopia.
The report of the Board of Education recently published gives
prominence to the establishment of a Squint Clinic at Leyton.
As a result of the assistance given to me by the Orthoptic training
which it makes available, I am able to operate on squinting
children at an earlier age. Self-conscious children thus suffer less
at the hands of their fellows and there is a greater possibility of
obtaining stereoscopic vision.
I wish to acknowledge the great assistance given to me by
the Authority's Orthoptist, Miss Montague Smith, whose report is
appended.

Squint Clinic.

Report by Orthoptist (Miss P. Montague Smith).

The following figures show the number and disposition of cases dealt with at the special squint clinic during the year.

Number of children who attended clinic109
Number of attendances made1,160
Observation cases—no detectable squint3
Left district14
Refused or discontinued treatment3
Treated for defective vision17
Cured5
Improved5
No improvement7
Treated for squint41
CuredStereoscopic vision1223
Cosmetic only11
Rest from active treatment6
Still under treatment12
Awaiting treatment35