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clinic. The venture was successful, and it is hoped that it will be
repeated during 1954.
Opportunity is taken from time to time to communicate with
general practitioners and' also with schools, so that matters which
seem to call for attention can be brought to their notice. This has
become a regular feature of our work and is, I believe, appreciated
by the recipients.
16. Investigation and Research
Although it is not always easy for a fully-occupied staff to
carry out research, it is highly desirable that this should be done.
We have therefore tried to follow such lines of investigation as lie
within our power, and will continue to do so.
All children attending for birthday examination at the welfare
centres are given a tuberculin jelly test. These tests are also applied
on children before admission to the Day Nursery. After consultation
with the Chest Physician at the Finchley Chest Clinic, we have
agreed to extend the scheme still further, to include school entrants
and school leavers attending certain of our schools. This work gives
us valuable information relating to tuberculosis, and allows us to
refer cases to the Chest Clinic for further investigation.
We were privileged to take part in an investigation relating
to the pre-menstrual syndrome, carried out by a general practitioner
in conjunction with a hospital medical officer. This investigation
has recently been published and won the Charles Oliver Hawthorne
Award of the British Medical Association. We now hope to cooperate
with the same general practitioner in a further study
relating to the treatment of toxæmia of pregnancy. This is an
extension of the previous work and will, it is hoped, produce
significant results which should materially advance our knowledge
of the cause and treatment of this distressing and serious
phenomenon.
Although, as I have already indicated, work under the School
Health Service does not properly come within the scope of this
Report, it might be noted that we co-operated with the Medical
Research Council in two schemes of research. One was designed to
investigate hæmoglobin levels in the blood, with particular regard
to seasonal and other variations. The second investigation, which
is still proceeding, relates to the possible efficacy of B.C.G. inoculation
of school leavers. We were also able to assist in arranging a
visit of Mass Radiography Units to Southgate, Wood Green and
Friern Barnet and, for the first time, were permitted to include
the examination of school leavers. Our work also involves the
carrying out from time to time, of investigations which are requested
for County purposes, and also on behalf of the Ministry
of Health and other authorities.
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