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For instance, Ringworm of the Scalp is referred to the School.
X-ray Department for radical treatment there; Impetigo, Septic
Sores, Inflammation of the Eyelids and other minor conditions are
referred to the Morning Clinics at the White House (of which I
shall speak later), and are treated by the Health Visitors under
the supervision of the Medical Officer of the Clinic; Squint, to the
School Ophthalmic Surgeon; Discharging Ears and cases of
Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids to the private doctor or to hospital ;
cases of Disease of the Heart, Lungs, etc., to the appropriate
quarter for adequate treatment; Dental troubles to the School
Dentist.
As is shown above, the Infant Welfare Clinic is a very important
distributing centre for ailments, many of which would, but
for the Clinic, be left untreated, and in many cases would become
progressively worse, and often later go beyond any possibility of
being treated.
Another point emerges from the above statement—the very
considerable amount of co-ordination that exists between the Infant
Welfare Centre and other public services in the Borough, to which
fuller reference will be made latter. See p. *56.
Only a single case of Ringworm of the Scalp required to be
referred for treatment during 1926. Eight cases of enlarged
Tonsils and Adenoids in children under school age received treatment
at St. Mary's Hospital, Plaistow, and six cases at the
Balaam Street Hospital, during the past year, at the expense of
the Borough Council. In many cases of enlarged tonsils the
parents preferred to choose their own hospital, and were willing to
pay the necessary fee.
Young children are peculiarly liable to skin diseases, and
slight injuries very readily become septic; and it is a great advantage
to all such children to be under the systematic care of nurses
specially trained in the observation of conditions existing or
arising in babies, in order that such skin diseases may be early
noted, and at once brought under appropriate treatment. Careful
observation is made of the condition of the skin whilst the nurse
is weighing the infant at the Clinics.