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145
During last year some 314 Leyton school children were found at school
medical inspection to require observation or treatment for ear diseases, and 273
children were actually treated in the school minor ailments clinics for minor ear
defects. In addition, 481 children were found at school medical inspection to
require observation or treatment for defects of nose and throat, which often
prove to be predisposing causes of subsequent ear disease.
It is considered by the Ministry of Health and the Board of Education
that the adequate examination and treatment of these cases require the services
of an ear, nose and throat specialist; that the Local Authority should have a
certain number of beds reserved in a hospital where operative treatment can
be carried out; and that the services of an aural specialist should be available in
connection with the Hospital for Infectious Diseases.
The nucleus of any scheme for the successful treatment of ear diseases must
be an Aural Clinic in charge of a specialist. To such a clinic children would be
referred from the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare and School Clinics.
Obviously it is advantageous if the Aural Surgeon of the special clinic is also
the surgeon in charge of the hospital beds to which the cases referred from the
clinic are admitted, and that he should combine this office with that of Consultant
Aural Surgeon to the Fever Hospital.
I recommend:—
1. That the Local Sanitary Authority appoint a Consultant Aural
Surgeon to be available for consultations and emergency surgical operations
at Leyton Isolation Hospital as required;
2. That the Maternity and Child Welfare and Education Authorities
establish a special Aural Clinic—to be held once a month in the first place
and more frequently if found necessary—where the Aural Surgeon could
examine and advise as to the treatment of children referred by the medical
staff of the Authorities concerned, and that arrangements be made with a
neighbouring hospital for the admission and treatment of children referred
for such residential treatment by the surgeon in charge of the Aural Clinic.
After consideration of the above report the Council resolved :—
" That subject to the approval of the Board of Education,
an aural clinic be established in the existing premises, and that
a part-time Aural Consultant be engaged for a minimum of
one session per month."
The suggested arrangement was approved by the Board of
Education and the Council appointed Mr. Cyril Ratcliffe Sandiford,
M.D., M.B., B.Ch., F.R.C.S., as part-time Aural Consultant.