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37
These have all been patients referred by your medical
staff on account of some defective or debilitated physical
condition. From year to year detailed information is given
regarding the conditions treated and the results of treatment—
in my Annual Reports to the Council. From experience gained
in Leyton it may be said that the preponderating majority of
patients who complete the course derive appreciable benefit.
There are, however, certain defective conditions which
do not lend themselves to treatment by artificial sunlight and
may be aggravated thereby. Again, there are certain persons
on whom sunlight, either natural or artificial, has a distinctly
harmful and depressant effect. It will be appreciated, therefore,
that the selection of cases and the administration of
treatment should be in the hands of persons who are properly
qualified.
Although many maternity and child welfare and education
authorities have equipped and established artificial sunlight
clinics as part of their medical services, there are relatively few
Councils who have provided facilities for the general population.
Recently I have had the opportunity of visiting and
inspecting the arrangements at two municipal artificial sunlight
clinics; and, inasmuch as they exemplify two very different
types of municipal provision, I submit a brief description of
each.
Borough A. The new light treatment department or
"solarium"—opened in 1936—is probably the largest and
best equipped municipal clinic of its kind in the world. It
occupies the entire first floor of the large new Public Health
Centre, and the equipment alone cost over £2,000.
The forms of treatment available are artificial sunlight
(general and local), diathermy and massage. Any resident in
the area may attend the clinic, be examined by the doctor on
duty, and receive a full course of the forms of treatment
recommended—all free of charge.