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The following figures relate to the nurse's findings during the two months of
testlng:-
No. of children No. of children No. referred to
tested re-tested School Medical Officers
907 94 36
None of these 36 cases had been fully investigated by the medical officers by the end of
the year.
ORTHOPAEDIC AMD POSTURAL DEFECTS. Some children with the more severe degrees of
these defects were referred, as in previous years, to the orthopaedic surgeons at the
Children's Hospital, Plaistow, and Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, and various other
special hospitals. In many cases insoles or wedging of the shoes was prescribed, while
in a few cases orthopaedic operations were carried out. Following the establishment of
the Council's own physiotherapy service at the beginning of 1952, 96 children were treated
at Forest Street and Grange Road Clinics and at the Elizabeth Fry Special School during the
year. Cases known to have been treated outside the Council's scheme numbered 172. Twentyfour
children were known to be in-patients in various hospitals. In accordance with the
National Health Service arrangements surgical boots and orthopaedic appliances are provided
by the hospitals when needed.
PHYSIOTHERAPY . Mrs.A.M.Tootell, the physiotherapist, continued her work on a parttime
basis. She attended three full days a week, approximately half of the time being
devoted to the School Health Service. The local authority clinic premises are equipped for
artificial light therapy and treatment is given in Forest Street Child Welfare Clinic and
Grange Road Child Welfare Clinic. Two clinics were held weekly at each of these clinics
and at each of them both school children and pre-school children are treated. Children are
usually referred to the physiotherapist by the local authority medical officers. An
increasing number of general practitioners refer cases. Specialists at various London
Hospitals also wish cases to be treated locally to save the parents and children the trouble
of travelling long distances. The consultant paediatrician and the Ear, None and Throat
Surgeon refer cases from time to time.
Minor orthopaedic defects of many kinds - the slighter degrees of flat foot, weak
ankles, poor posture and knock knees - are treated by remedial exercises, mainly in the
form of classes. Massage, as well as ultra-violet irradiation is given when necessary.
The classes for foot defects yield very good results, and this lends support to the view
that these conditions, if treated in the early stages, can be more easily remedied and
probably spared the need for later treatment at an orthopaedic clinic. Usually only the
more severe cases are referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. Many cases of asthma, bronchitis,
recurrent upper respiratory infection, and general debility are given general ultra-violet
irradiation. Artificial sunlight or ultra-violet irradiation as it is termed is given by a
special type of mercury vapour lamp which enables several children to be treated simultaneously
in a group. Breathing exercises, modified according to the particular type of chest condition,
are also given by the physiotherapist. These facilities, provided on premises which are
easily accessible and well known to the parents and children, encourage acceptance of treatment
at a stage when it will be really preventive.
Valuable work was carried out at the Elizabeth Fry Special School where children with
various forms of paralysis, considered suitable for physiotherapy, were dealt with. Any of
these children found to require ultra-violet irradiation were treated at the nearby Grange
Road cllnic. The work of the Elizabeth Fry Special School was greatly increased when the
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