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Crippling Defects and Orthopaedics.—An Orthopaedic Clinic staffed by an Orthopaedic
Surgeon and a specially qualified nurse is held at the Stonebridge Health Centre. The report of the
Orthopaedic Surgeon appears as Appendix E.
The Fourth Annual Report on the work in connection with Abnormal Children appears later in
this report.
Vocational Guidance.—In the year ended July, 1937, medical reports were made on 1,558
children who were shortly to leave school, indicating any type of occupation for which they were
physically unsuited. The relevant information is collected when the child is examined at the age of
12 years, and shortly before school-leaving age this is reviewed, any additional information from the
clinic record cards being added to the vocational guidance cards.
461 children were advised to avoid the type of occupation contra-indicated by their condition.
SECONDARY AND JUNIOR TECHNICAL, ETC., SCHOOLS.
The arrangement by which the Medical Staff of the Willesden Council carry out the inspection
of pupils attending the Secondary and Technical Schools in Willesden, on behalf of the Middlesex
County Council has been continued. The total number of pupils on the rolls of the Secondary and
Technical Schools in Willesden now included in this arrangement is 2,700.
1,547 medical examinations and 525 re-examinations of Secondary and Technical School pupils
have been carried out during the year 1937.
438 medical defects were found amongst the scholars examined. Parents and Head Teachers
are notified of defects and are advised as to the action to be taken.
The Middlesex County Council's scheme of treatment of scholars suffering from defective vision
at the Willesden Council's Health Centres, and also that of dental inspection and treatment by the
Council's dental staff, has been continued. 2,396 pupils were dentally inspected during the year,
1,559 were found to require treatment and 532 were treated at the Willesden Council's Dental Clinics.
2,359 attendances were made at the Clinics during the year for Medical and Dental Treatment.
PARENTS' PAYMENTS.
(a) Public Elementary Schools.
The recovery of the cost of certain forms of treatment from parents of children attending
Public Elementary Schools is undertaken according to the Council's Economic Circumstances Scale,
which is based on the net income per head per week of the family.
For cases of enlarged tonsils, adenoids, and deflected septum, the payment for operation and
the first three days in hospital is either the full cost of 24s. or part cost, or nil. The charge per day
after the first three days is 4s. 6d. full cost, or part cost.
Spectacles are provided either at the full cost of 4s., at half-price, or free if below the Economic
Scale.
Certain nutrient drugs prescribed by the Health Centre Medical Officers are supplied free,
if the economic circumstances of the family are below the Council's Scale, otherwise cost price is charged.
Vouchers issued by certain Hospital Associations and Sickness Funds are accepted in lieu of
payment for the provision of spectacles and for operation in cases of enlarged tonsils, adenoids and
deflected septum.
The arrangements for recovering the cost of treatment for dental work are dealt with in the
Reports of the Dental Surgeon, Annual Report, 1934, page 55, and Annual Report, 1935, page 57.
(b) Secondary and Technical Schools.
Pupils attending these schools who are suffering from defective vision, may, by an arrangement
of the Middlesex County Council, be examined and treated by the Willesden Council's Ophthalmic
Surgeon at one of the Health Centres. No charge is made to the parent for inspection or refraction by
the Ophthalmic Surgeon, but if spectacles are ordered a fee of 5s. is payable by the parent to the
Head Teacher of the School.
The arrangements for recovering the cost of treatment for dental work are dealt with in the
Report of the Dental Surgeon for 1935, page 57.
HEALTH EDUCATION.
The work has proceeded on the same lines as outlined on page 12 of the Annual Report for 1934.