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6
Attention is invited to the reports by Mr. Tait in regard to
orthodontic treatment and to the ready availability of this form of
treatment in Walthamstow and also to Dr. Churchill's report in
regard to dental anaesthesia.
The five specialist clinics continued to do good work, and
reference is made to the resignation of Dr. F. Clarke on attaining
the age limit. Dr. Clarke gave good service in Walthamstow for
20 years. Mr. Alan M. Cammock was appointed by the Hospital
Management Committee to succeed Dr. Clarke and by your Committee
to give specialist supervision to the children at the School for
the Deaf. The Hospital Management Committee also made available
the services of a part-time clerk to assist at the Orthopaedic Clinic.
Dr. Hinden comments on the decline in the severity of rheumatic
fever "now a disease of trifling importance," and pays tribute to the
work of Dr. Wilfrid Sheldon and Dr. Mary Wilmers who were in
charge of the former Rheumatism Supervisory Centre at Walthamstow
and which is now merged with Dr. Hinden's Paediatric Clinic.
The section on Speech Therapy refers to a trial scheme at the
Sir George Monoux School and to the increased co-operation of
parents.
B.C.G. vaccination continued, but on three occasions the vaccine
failed to arrive on time and special arrangements had to be hurriedly
improvised.
The year was one of interest and at times of anxiety owing to
the incidence of infectious and communicable diseases.
In January there were three cases of Flexner dysentery at
Higham Hill Junior School. In February a sharp outbreak of ringworm
of the scalp and skin occurred at St. Mary's R.C. School and
amongst the children accommodated at the Convent. In July there
was an outbreak of food poisoning and epidemic nausea and vomiting
at Selwyn Avenue Schools, followed in October by influenza.
In November there were two deaths in five-year-old children
attending the same class at Copper Mill Infants' School and within
a period of some seven weeks. Both deaths were from a very acute
form of infection of the upper respiratory tract.
Over the whole year there was a succession of cases of poliomyelitis
amongst all sections of the population.
These outbreaks are more specifically reviewed in the Report.
Although immunisation against diphtheria is primarily required
to be done in the first year of life many parents unfortunately decline
to give their consent at that time but change their minds when