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

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Walthamstow 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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49
13. BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC
CHILDREN.
Table 3 at the end of the Report gives a full analysis of all
exceptional children in the Borough.
(а) The ascertainment of such children continued along the
lines detailed in last year's Report, and has, generally, been
adequate.
(b) Mentally Defective Children not in Special Schools are
supervised by the Essex County Council, the local Mental Deficiency
Authority, in the case of idiots and imbeciles, and
ineducable mental defectives. An Occupation Centre is provided
by the Essex Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare. The
work of this Association is reported under Section 12 (<2).
(c) General review of the work of the Authority's Special
Schools —

The following table shows the classification of children attending the School at the end of 1933, and has been supplied by the Head Teacher, Miss Balls:—

BlindPartially Blind
N althamstowOther AuthoritiesWalthamstowOther Authorities
Boys33Boys253
Girls75Girls2211
Totals108Totals4714

The work done at the school is detailed in previous Annual
Reports and in the following interesting report of the Consultant
Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mr. H. J. Taggart, F.R.C.S.: —

"There are 75 children at present attending the Myope School; 35 boys and 40 girls. According to their various visual disabilities they may be classified as follows:—

DefectBoys.Girls.
High Myopia—Simple1314
High Myopia and Astigmatism511
High Hypermetropic Astigmatism with diminished visual acuity31
Corneal Opacities resulting from:—
(a)Ophthalmia Neonatorum1
(b) Interstitial Keratitis11
(c) Severe Phlyctenular disease1