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

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Walthamstow 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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14
required operation,—or cases with other complications such as
sinusitis, granulations, etc.
The total number of acute discharging ears was 23. All
these were treated daily at the clinic by suction and a suitable
antiseptic such as albucid, penicillin or Grieswold dyes mixture.
Twenty of the 23 were discharged cured after six to twelve days'
treatment.
Prompt and careful attention to the treatment of acute
discharging ears is all important in the prevention of chronic
otorrhoea and preservation of the hearing. The suction method
has been found a valuable and indispensable aid in the treatment.
The greater proportion of cases treated during the year was
for nasal conditions such as sinusitis, rhinitis, nasal obstruction with
mouth breathing, etc., and functionally hypertrophied or unhealthy
tonsils, usually secondary to some primary nasal defects, and
impaired hearing.
About 30% of all children referred to the clinic with definite
nasal symptoms, or in many instances as 1 diseased tonsils and
adenoids ' have sinus infection. It is very important to bear this
in mind in relation to tonsillectomy. The sinusitis which is primary
must be treated first. The removal of the tonsils in the presence
of sinus infection will not cure the sinusitis but may well aggravate
it. Two examples of this have been seen during the year. A
certain number of children were found who had definite sinusitis
and whose names were on the waiting lists for tonsillectomy, without,
apparently, receiving any treatment for the sinusitis. This
procedure needs revision. The sinus infection requires local and
immediate attention and should not be left untreated for the
long periods as now obtains for removal of tonsils, which, in the
end will not cure the sinusitis. A number of these cases were
treated successfully during the year by Proetz displacement method
and concurrently, where indicated, local tonsil treatment. The same
remarks equally apply to certain other urgent conditions, such as
otitis media (otorrhoea), impaired hearing, nasal obstruction,
rhinitis.
In the case of children especially, Proetz displacement will
clear up satisfactorily the large majority of sinus infections, and it
is very interesting to observe the effect that successful sinus treat-