View report page

40
and carbon arc lamps, short-wave therapy, massage and active
exercises. Class exercises are held for the correction of postural
conditions. During the year 171 new cases were referred.
The consultant orthopaedic surgeon saw 82 patients, and 259
were seen by the consultant physio-therapist. Orthopaedic
patients requiring in-patient treatment are admitted to the
Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital or to the Harrow Hospital.
Correction of Visual Defects : Children requiring ophthalmic treatment
receive this at the hands of the Education Committee
staff. Glasses where required are provided free of cost. Provision
is made for children wearing glasses to be retested
periodically.
Operative Treatment of Tonsils and Adenoids: Children requiring
this treatment are admitted either to the Harrow Hospital
or to the Redhill County Hospital, the patients being detained
in hospital the night before and the night after operation.
During the year 3 children were treated under this arrangement.
Child Guidance Treatment: 11 children were referred during the
year to the Child Guidance Clinic maintained at 2, St. Johns
Road, Harrow, by the Middlesex Education Committee.
Speech Therapy: 11 children were referred during the year to the
Speech Therapy Centre maintained at 2, St. Johns Road,
Harrow, by the Middlesex Education Committee.
Home Nursing: Welfare authorities are empowered to provide
home nursing for certain groups of ailments of children under
five. In this district such treatment is carried out on behalf
of the Council by the staff of the local nursing association.
CHILD LIFE PROTECTION.
On a prospective foster mother making application, she is visited
by the health visitor, each of whom is appointed child protection visitor
for her area, and the premises are inspected by the sanitary inspector.
In most cases the applicant wishes to foster only the one child. There
are in the district a certain number of homes in which a number of
children are cared for. In this case the number is determined by the
area of the sleeping room, each child being allowed 40 square feet. In
addition wherever there are more than three children a separate day
nursery is required. The foster mother undertakes to keep the child
under the supervision of her own medical attendant or attend the nearest
infant welfare centre. The homes are visited by the health visitor
once a month, so that the older of these children receive much more
attention from the health visitors than the other children in the district.
The following table summarises the information regarding the
fostering of children in this district:
Number of persons on the register who were receiving infants
for reward at the beginning of the year 130
(Of these 55 had children ; 75 not)
Number of persons registered during the year 14
Number of persons removed from the register during the
year (either by reason of removal from the district, no
longer undertaking the care of the child, etc.) 26