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17
"The treatment of squint is necessarily inadequate without an
Orthoptic or Squint Training Clinic.
"Only about 50 percen.t. of squints have a refractive error and
require glasses, but all patients with squint have little or no idea
of using their eyes together in a normal way and need training to
enable them to do so.
"Many cases of squint will respond to treatment by orthoptic
measures alone.
"In order to get the best results from operation it is advisable
to give the patient some eye exercises beforehand so that when the
bandages are removed the patient is immediately able to fuse the
images from both eyes, otherwise there is no stimulus to keep the
eyes straight.
"In a series of cases it was found that 7.9 percent. were straight
after operation alone, while 42 percent. were straight after combined
operation and orthoptic training.
"In Walthamstow at present there are no facilities for this
essential method of dealing with squint. Some patients have been
sent to London hospitals for squint training, but rarely can they
finish the course owing to expenditure of time and money. It is,
therefore, hoped that during the coming year your Committee will
establish an Orthoptic Clinic in the Borough."
(Note by S.M.O.—Orthoptic scheme approved in 1938.)
(e) Nose and Throat Defects.—The scheme for treatment
remained the same as detailed in the previous reports. All operations
for the removal of tonsils and adenoids were carried out at
the Connaught Hospital at a fee of £2, which includes a stay of one
night in hospital before and after the operation.

(f) Ear Disease and Detective Hearing.—(1) Mastoid Disease.
—No children were referred to Prince of Wales's General Hospital,
Tottenham, for mastoid operation under your Committee's scheme.
(2) Ear Disease.—Minor defects under this heading are treated
at the minor ailments clinic, the numbers treated being given in
the table relating to the work of these clinics.
Audiometer Testing.—The use of the Cowan picture frame
in conjunction with the audiometer was continued. This procedure
enabled infants to be tested as soon as possible after entrance to
school. The picture frames are so attractive that the tests are
easily carried out as a game.