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REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE PAEDIATRIC CLINIC
by
E.Hinden, M.D., M.R.C.P.
The number of children seen at the Consultative School Health Clinics has steadily
declined over the past few years. This is one aspect of the general improvement in Child
Health which we are now experiencing. The lowering of the neonatal death-rate is common
knowledge; with it there has also been a lessening in sickness not only in this early agegroup
but throughout school life - and this is not so widely appreciated.
The conditions seen have not varied much in recent years, problems of growth and
development being the most important single source. A most gratifying feature has been the
steady decline in importance of rheumatic fever. Even so short a time as seven years ago,
this was a serious illness, causing many school children to be sent to hospital, responsible
for much invalidism and for loss of school time. Now the numbers who need hospital treatment
are trivial, and permanent heart damage is a rarity. It is likely that there has been a
gradual diminution in the virulence of the causative organism (the haemolytic streptococcus),
for its other manifestations, such as scarlet fever and acute nephritis have also declined
both in numbers and severity, but undoubtedly there has also been a strengthening of that
intangible quality we call "resistance to infection". Of the several factors which contribute
to this, I think that improved nutrition is the most important. It really looks as though
the patient teaching of the welfare clinics and general practitioners is yielding fruit at last.
St.Mary's Hospital, Plaistow, continue to provide us with X-ray facilities, and Whipps
Cross Hospital carry out our pathological Investigations; to both these institutions I tender
my grateful thanks. I should also like to express my gratitude to my colleagues the assistant
school health officers, and the local general practitioners, who continue to send me patients.
The Paediatric clinics are administered by the West Ham Group of the Hospital
Management Committee but are held on the West Ham Education Committee premises as follows:-
Thursdays
Stratford School Clinic, From 1.30 p.m. to 5.15 p.m.
84, West Ham Lane, E.15.
Rosetta School Clinic, Wednesdays
Sophia Road, Custom House, E.16. From 1.30 p.m. to 5.15 p.m.
TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDHOOD. The number of children in whom active tuberculosis is
found remains comparatively small but has shown no marked trend of recent years. A
summary of the work of the West Ham Chest Clinic in this respect has kindly been contributed
by Dr.Lawless, the Chest Physician.
Number of school children referred by assistant school medical officers 2
Number of school children referred by general practitioners 102
Number of school children examined as contacts 351
Number of school children found to be suffering from tuberculosis 13
The classification and disposal of the definite cases is set out below:-
Respiratory Non-Respiratory
Primary complex and pleural effusion 1 Sacro-iliac Joint 1
Primary pulmonary tuberculosis 2 Meningitis 1
Pulmonary tuberculosis 4 Cervical glands 1
Mastoid 1
Twelve of these children were admitted to institutions, and one attended hospital
as an out-patient.
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