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17
years. The general attendances have been very satisfactory and
the regular weekly sessions throughout the year have always been
full. The total number of new cases seen at the clinics during
the year was 259, and the number who attended for prescribed
treatment was 328. Total attendances were 1,020.
As has been found in previous years, by far the greater proportion
of new cases seen were those complaining of affections of the
nose and throat, and a small number with impaired hearing. The
number of cases of 'discharging ears' has, for many years, been
very small. The prompt and correct treatment of the acute discharging
ear is a very important factor in the prevention of the
' chronic running ear ' and permanently impaired hearing. In order
to ensure that the acute otorrhcea cases are efficiently treated and
heal as quickly as possible, all cases are treated at the clinics where
the clinic staff are trained and experienced in the special technique
and methods advised. The results have been very satisfactory and
the ' running ears ' have become quite 'dry' quickly. Most of
the cases of chronic otorrhcea that we have seen gave a history
of a prescribed treatment being carried out at home, or of no
treatment.
Attention is again drawn to the number of children complaining
of various ' nasal conditions,' tonsillar affections, colds, etc., and some
whose hearing is seriously impaired, who have sinus infections. It
is imperative that the sinus condition is recognised and efficiently
treated till ' clear.' If this is done it will be found that a surprisingly
large number of symptoms, such as recurring sore throats, colds,
etc., will abate and the general health of the child noticeably improve.
Proetz displacement was regularly employed and used for a number
of cases during the year and is a most useful method of diagnosing
and treating these sinus infections in children.
In previous years reference has been made to the very good
results obtained in selected cases of nasal conditions by Gautier's
method of diastolisation. In cases of hypertrophic rhinitis, mouthbreathing
(not due to organic malformations), congestion and
turgescence of the turbinate tissues, impaired hearing due to nasal
conditions, etc., diastolisation is an ideal method of treatment. It
is not used in cases of suppuration or sinus infections.