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A medical officer is in attendance at Stratford School Clinic and Rosetta School Clii
on Monday and Thursday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and at Balaam Street School Clinii
on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
These clinics have always been well-used and although attendances are steadily fallii
a large number of children still come to them, referred mainly by the head teachers. The c;
are seen by the medical officers on their clinic sessions, and the bulk of the treatment is
carried out by the school nurses. Although many of the conditions seen may be regarded as
trivial or superficial, their prompt treatment saves a good deal of minor disability and in
some cases prevents a simple lesion becoming a major one.
The School Health Service is well placed for dealing with such conditions, as
continuity of treatment is ensured through the close association with the schools. Many
troublesome conditions are treated expeditiously and often prevent further impairment of
health. The chief defects treated fall under the following headingsj-
Minor skin troubles of various kinds. These include the triad of ringworm, scabies and
impetigo, together with a variety of other skin conditions. Many children are affected eacl
year with plantar warts. The incidence is several times greater among girls than among boy;
and is at its maximum between 11 and 14 years. Similarly many children attend the minor
ailment clinics in the summer with ringworm of the feet. This is very troublesome and trea
ment is prolonged. Stress is laid on preventive measures. In the case of impetigo there i;
no spectacular lessening as in the case of ringworm and scabies. The very few cases of
scabies seen are referred to the special clinic for treatment.
Minor ailments of the eyes. These are mainly external diseases such as slight inflammatory
conditions, sore eyelids, foreign bodies and minor injuries. Some of the external diseases
of the eye are, according to their nature and severity, sent to the ophthalmic clinic for
specialist attention.
Minor ailments of the ears. These consist of small bolls in the outer passage of the ear,
wax, foreign bodies, and the slighter degrees of earache and discharging ears. The more
serious conditions, considered to require specialist attention are referred, by agreement
with the child's general practitioner, to the ear, nose and throat specialist. Miscellaneo
conditions form the bulk of the cases treated and consist of a very mixed collection such a:
bruises, sores, chilblains, whitlows, boils, minor injuries of various kinds - cuts, abrasii
and small lacerations.
The above cases form the main mass of the work at minor ailment clinics. The follow
figures give the number of cases of these kinds which were seen at the clinics during the yi
Skin Diseases 1,051
External Eye Diseases 309
Minor Ear Defects 246
Miscellaneous Defects 1,539
Totals 3,145
The total number of children who attended the three individual clinics for all purposes was
as followss-
C1 inlc New Cases
Stratford 1,296
Balaam Street 1,701
Rosetta 1,892
96