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

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West Ham 1949

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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The number of new cases seen at three individual clinics was as follows:

ClinicNew Cases
Stratford3,165
Balaam Street2,640
Rosetta Road2,129

It is, of course, necessary for many of the patients to attend on more than one occasion, and some indication of the volume of work carried out at these clinics will be obtained from the following tables:-

ClinicNumber of Attendances
Stratford11,873
Balaam Street13,158
Rosetta Road8,190
Total33,221

REPORT ON THE WORK OP THE OPHTHALMIC CLINIC
by Dr.A.A.S,RUSSELL, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H., D.O.M.S.
During the year 1949 the usual routine work was carried out in the Ophthalmic
Clinic.
Refractions constitute a large part of the work and 1,521 such examinations
were made and 1,265 prescriptions for glasses given during the year. Some of the
children examined were already wearing suitable glasses, others had only a small
error not causing trouble so glasses were not advised, and 165 children examined
were found to have no refractive error.
Many short-sighted children are seen twice during the year and those with
a high degree of myopia are advised to attend even more frequently. Among the
children refracted 4o6 were found to be myopic and only 5 of such slight degree as
not to require glasses when first seen. The number of myopes re-inspected during
the year was 226.
The group of children who make the most frequent attendances at the Eye Clinic
are those with squint, including those whose eyes are straight with glasses or after
a course of orthoptic treatment and/or operation,, Among the cases refracted 400
were classed in this group, but 629 such cases attended for re-inspection, making 1,568
attendances.
The orthoptic examinations were carried out by Miss Martin who was full time
orthoptist until the end of November and thereafter part time, doing 6 sessions per
week. Cases seen by her included those for orthoptic examination and report only,
as well as children having occlusion treatment or full orthoptic training. She saw
401 school children who made 3,429 attendances during the year.
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