London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kingston upon Thames 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]

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68
(c) Ophthalmic Clinic.
Dr. Ivor Aubrey, the School Oculist, attends fortnightly
on Thursday mornings during School terms, to
deal with cases referred to him by the School Medical
Officer.
Those children who have errors of refraction attend
the Clinic three times a day on the Tuesday and Wednesday
preceding the meeting for the purpose of having
atropine ointment applied by the School Nurse.
There were 419 attendances at the 23 sessions held
during the year, 220 being new cases and 199 re-inspections.
Refractions numbered 109, and spectacles were prescribed
in 106 instances.
Parents are charged the cost price of spectacles, except
in really necessitous cases, when the Committee is prepared
to pay part or the whole cost.
Children for whom spectacles are prescribed are reinspected
by the School Medical Officer when he visits the
School each term.
(d) Dental Clinic.
During the year five sessions per School Week were
devoted to Dental Inspection and Treatment.
In all, 29 half-days were given to Inspection and 184
to Treatment.
There were 530 gas cases during the year.
Dental Board leaflets on the Care of the Teeth are
distributed to all children shortly before they leave school.
DEFECTIVE CHILDREN
Exceptional children are brought to the notice of the
School Medical Officer by the School Nurses, Health
Visitors and Attendance Officers.
The Teachers are invited to bring any children they
consider defective before the School Medical Officer. If
suffering from a physical defect, they are admitted to the
Special Open-Air Day School if considered unsuitable to
attend an ordinary Public Elementary School.