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All cases are re-inspected within three months, to see if the
glasses are suitable and giving satisfaction. The following brief
statistics summarise the whole work of the year at the Eye Clinics
(Elementary and Higher Educational Institutions):—
Cases sent to Ophthalmic Specialists 2463
Number attended 2169
Percentage attendance 88
Number of Clinic Days 115
Table IV., Group II., gives the results from the Elementary
Schools.
(g) EAR DISEASE AND DEAFNESS.
These conditions are usually treated at the four Clinics under
the Committee's Scheme. There are two reasons that lead to this
result. Firstly, some of the affections, such as cerumen (wax) are
so slight that parents do not deem it necessary to call in the family
doctor, and the other conditions, such as otorrhœa, are usually of
a very chronic nature, and therefore expensive for prolonged
private treatment.
The Clinic has a special value in these cases in this respect;
the sooner ear discharges are attended to, the more easily are
they responsive to treatment, whereas a long-neglected otorrhoea
is equally prolonged in its treatment, to say nothing of the damage
accruing to the sense of hearing. A large amount of deafness is
due to the presence of adenoids, and finds its remedy in the
operative treatment of that condition. Minor ear defects to the
number of 889 were treated at the Clinic and 60 were treated
privately.
Table IV., Group I., gives the relative amount of treatment
undertaken at the Clinics and privately.
(h) DENTAL DEFECTS.
The dental defects, such as septic teeth, found at routine and
special Medical Inspections in the Schools are referred to the
School Dentists if falling within the scope of the Authority's
Dental Scheme, otherwise they are referred for private or Hospital
treatment.
The scheme approved by the Board comprises the 6-8 years'
period, together with a few special cases of an urgent nature at
other ages. Under the latter head, figure all prospective candidates
for the Open Air Schools, for, as mentioned in my last
report, these cases were found not to do so well or improve so
rapidly as their colleagues, as long as their mouths are in a septic
condition. There are three Dental Clinics at present, two at
Stratford and one at Canning Town; application has been made for
a fourth Dental Clinic at Rosetta Road. Under the scheme some
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