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(e). Nose and Throat Defects.
Three hundred and ninety-seven children were referred for treatment on account of nose
and throat defects. Of this number, 94 were operated on under the arrangements made by the
Authority with the Hounslow and Richmond Hospitals in 1921, 34 received operative treatment by
private arrangements of the parents, and 13 cases received other forms of treatment.
Our methods of arranging operative treatment for tonsils and adenoids remain the same as
in past years. A child must be referred for treatment by one of the Medical Officers and the
parents are then given an application form on which they are asked to state details of their income
and outgoings, number in family, etc. As soon as this form is completed and returned, it is
forwarded to the Education Secretary who fixes the amount the parents shall be asked to contribute
towards the cost of the operation. The parents are then asked to give their written consent
to the operation, and when this is received the child's name and address is sent to the appropriate
Hospital. The hospitals make the appointment for treatment, and the Authority pays one guinea
for each case operated on.
The scale of parents' repayments is as follows:—
Weekly family income per head, after deducting rent. Parents' contribution towards cost of operation.
Under 8/- nil.
From 8/- to 10/- 5/-
From 10/- to 12/- 10/-
Above 12/- 21/-
This scale of repayments does not apply to parents who are members of the Hospital
Saving Association. In these cases the Association's Voucher is accepted in lieu of a contribution,
and the Association in return pays an agreed sum per case to the Education Committee for this
treatment of their members' children.
(f). Ear Disease and Defective Hearing.
One hundred and eighty-nine cases of ear disease or defective hearing were dealt with at
the school clinics, and 19 were treated by private arrangement of the parents.
B.I.P. Paste is still used extensively in the three school clinics and the results are extremely
satisfactory.
(g). Dental Defects.
Progress in the Dental Section has not been as rapid as could be desired. This is chiefly
due to lack of staff and premises, which matters are now receiving attention with a view to their
considerable expansion.
The Isleworth Clinic so long visualised was established in temporary premises at Busch
House, Busch Corner, Isleworth, at the beginning of September, 1934, and as time goes on, should
prove of considerable advantage to the Isleworth population, as the distance they have to travel
for dental treatment has been so greatly reduced.
Pending the appointment of the second whole time Dental Surgeon, Mr. Lilley, the work
was carried on in the first part of the year by using temporary Dental Surgeons on a sessional
basis. Mr. Lilley, the Junior Dental Officer, commenced duty in July, 1934, and over the whole
year the work done by the various Dental Surgeons amounted, in terms of sessions, to rather less
than two whole time Dental Surgeons, which is definitely insufficient to cope adequately with the
work.
Two Junior Dental Clinic Clerk Attendants were appointed and took up duty in April.
The following is extracted from the Dental Surgeon's report:—
Inspections.
Although it was not found possible to inspect every child in the schools, the number of
routine dental inspections was 5,949, against 2,745, the figure for the previous year.
With regard to the Board's Table IV., Group V. (Dental Defects, page 34), it should be
noted that the number of "Specials," 1,917, represents special "Inspections" of various kinds
at the Clinic and not individual children. Some of these Specials will also have had a Routine
Dental Inspection and be included in these figures. They also may have had to be referred more
than once as Specials, and will thus have been recorded on each occasion as a special inspection.
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