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148
Attention should be drawn to the common incidence of nasal
and catarrhal diseases, sinus infections, badly infected discharging
ears, and disabilities of the hay-fever type.
It is hoped that as time goes on there will be a clearing-up of
these common infections, leaving the clinic more time to devote
to the earlier treatment of acute conditions and thereby preventing
the development of chronic disease.
Arrangements have been made for the examination and supervision
at the clinic of children who have had aural or nasal complications
while in-patients of your Isolation Hospital in order to
provide the necessary treatment for the relapses to which such
children are prone.
More extensive accommodation is required for the hospital
treatment of children requiring surgical operations for unhealthy
tonsils and adenoids, and it is hoped that soon a scheme may be
evolved whereby such cases can be dealt with in the Borough by
arrangement with your Medical Officer of Health.
Heart Clinic.
In January, 1936, the Board of Education issued a Circular
(No. 1444) which stated :—
" There is need for increased provision for the special
institutional treatment of children suffering or convalescent
from acute rheumatism, since this condition, if not suitably
treated, may lead to heart disease. This problem is an important
one."
In December, 1936, I submitted (with your Director of Education)
a Joint Report on Circular 1444 from which the following
is an extract:—
" It is felt that a rheumatic clinic, with a visiting specialist,
would do much to provide early detection and treatment of the
disease and so reduce the need for institutional treatment of
children who, under present conditions, often suffer serious
and permanent damage before institutional treatment becomes
an obvious necessity. We suggest that the Authority revives
its previous proposals for a Rheumatic Clinic for school
children."