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

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Hounslow 1972

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hounslow]

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Hearing Clinic
The number of cases seen at the Hearing Clinic during the
year was a considerable increase on the previous year. The
total number seen was 1,276 of which 632 were new cases
and 644 were cases for re-examination.

The number of tests performed during the year is shown in Table I.

Table 1First test in schoolRetest at school clinicTotal seenRe-test Failure
Infants (under 7)27762433019160
Junior (7-11)3417121353857
Senior (15-17)550375872
Total67434017144219

The children seen in the school clinic for special audiometry were referred by school medical officers, speech therapists, general practitioners and from the school psychological service as shown in Table II.

Table IIFirst testRe-testTotalFailures
Under 5 years1161212843
5-7 years43331464201
8-11 years2861129799
12 and over134413853
Total969581027396

The audiometricians took a total of 536 impressions for
use with hearing aids during the year. 65 Medresco National
Health Service aids were issued and 70 were exchanged. 2
commercial aids were issued, 1 post aural and 1 body worn
aid. The decrease in the number of commercial aids issued
is a reflection of the increased variety of the aids supplied
by the National Health Service.
Mr. Wall senior peripatetic teacher of the deaf made a
total of 1210 visits to homes and schools during the year.
Mr. Wall is responsible for the hard of hearing children in
Hounslow and Ealing. 18 children attend secondary schools,
49 attend primary schools and 18 children of pre-school age
were visited. Mr. Wall continued to give talks on parent
guidance and child management at conferences and courses
during the year.
In October 1972 a celebration was held to mark the
10th anniversary of the opening of the Hearing Clinic in
the present building. A booklet about the work of the
clinic was published for this occasion and now serves as an
information booklet. The Hearing Clinic was open to
visitors and the work and equipment demonstrated. A
special exhibition of various aspects of this work was
arranged including a film strip illustrating the methods
used in the testing of children's hearing. Lady Templer
addressed the meeting in the presence of Mr. Slattery,
Mayor of Hounslow, The Mayoress and Dr. Lindon after
which refreshments were served. The function was well
attended by many people interested in the problems of
deaf children.
Two new film strips have been produced during 1972
'An Introduction to Audiometry' and 'Play Audiometry in
Children'. These follow the two films made previously on
testing infants and young children which were highly
successful for teaching purposes.
The staff at the clinic helped in the making of the film
'Teaching language to deaf children' which was sponsored
by the National Deaf Childrens Society, part of which was
shot at the Hearing Clinic.
Part of the film 'Curtain of Silence' which was made by
the B.B.C. Horizon team was also shot at the clinic.
Dr. Fisch is involved with the Association for making of
films on hearing and deafness. The first film will be about
the employment of the deaf.
Dr. Fisch has been elected Vice Chairman of the British
Society of Audiology.
The Hearing Clinic Staff give considerable help to the
Commonwealth Society of the Deaf in the form of
receiving overseas visitors interested in setting up audiology
clinics abroad. Dr. Fisch also gives help to the Society in an
advisory capacity.
Papers: Dr. Fisch read a paper at the International
Congress of Audiology in Budapest on
Epidemiology of Congenital Deafness and the
paper is published in the Journal of the
International Society of Audiology.
Dr. Fisch read a paper on Comprehensive
Assessment of Children with Hearing Disorders
at the International Congress in Sonneberg.
Dr. Fisch wrote a chapter in a book by Mr.
Maxwell Ellis on Modern Trends in Diseases of
the Ear, Nose and Throat. The chapter is
entitled The Deaf Child and forms a significant
part of this book. He also wrote a chapter in a
book on Geriatric Medicine by Professor
Brocklehurst of Manchester University. This is
the first major chapter on deafness in old age
in a textbook on geriatric medicine.
Lectures: Dr. Fisch gave a lecture on the Organisation of
Audiology Service at the Lady Spencer College
near Oxford to the training course for teachers
of the deaf.
Dr. Fisch and Dr. Harper gave a lecture at a
special course on Hearing Problems in Children
for the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Courses: A one day course for Nursery Nurses from
Chiswick Polytechnic was held in March.
A 2 day Conference for Health Visitors was
held in July at the request of the London
Boroughs Association.
A one day course on Developmental
Paediatrics was held in September at the request
of the Society of Medical Officers of Health.
Groups of speech therapists, midwives and students also
visited the clinic as observers and visitors from many parts
of the world visited the clinic during the year.
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