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11
(f) Nose and Throat Defects.—The scheme for treatment
remained the same as detailed in previous reports:—

(g) Ear Disease and Defective Hearing.—Ear Clinic. Dr.
Francis Clarke reports as follows:—
There has been a steady increase in the number of children
seen at the Ear, Nose and Throat sessions during the past year.
There were 61 cases more than in 1945. The attendances for
the various treatment prescribed and carried out at the "Treatment
Sessions" during the year, were also greater and more regular than
in previous years. This is naturally due to the more normal conditions
prevailing now than in the war years, to the more settled
normal routine in the schools which was very much interrupted
during the war.
The Clinic has worked along the lines much as in previous
years, with some minor additions or changes in details of certain
treatments. A greatly increased use has been made of the newer
drugs, Penicillin and Sulphacetamide-Albucid, in the treatment of
acute infections, with very satisfactory results. A number of cases
of acute otorrhœa (running ear) has been treated with Penicillin in
conjunction with "suction" as referred to in previous reports, and
practically all these cases healed up rapidly. Similar results were
obtained with Sulphacetamide-Albucid (10% sol.). In connection
with the use of these drugs and acute discharging ears, we must
again emphasise the important role of "suction" in keeping the
perforation in the drum-membrane open to allow free drainage,
and filling the infected middle ear with the medicament.
It is very satisfactory to be able to report that out of a total
of 558 new cases of school and pre-school children suffering from
ear, nose and throat affections, seen during the year there were
only twenty cases of chronic otorrhœa (running ears). This is a
remarkably small number for such a large school population when
we realise that at one time this condition constituted a considerable
number of the patients seen at school clinics. We employ ionisation
in the treatment of these cases and are quite satisfied that it remains
so far (provided that the case is suitable and the technique correct)
the most rapid, effective and lasting cure for chronic otorrhœa.