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Minor ailments of the eyes. These are mainly external diseases such as slight
inflammatory conditions, sore eyelids, minor injuries and foreign bodies. In certain
cases external eye diseases indicate eyestrain or debility, or unhygienic surroundings.
Eyestrain can cause tired eyes, and these are rubbed more than usual, hence Inflammation
results. With a general improvement in living conditions, in hygiene generally, and in
the health of the children these diseases of the external eye are seen much less frequently
than formerly. Some of these diseases are, however, according to their nature and severity,
sen to the ophthalmic clinic for specialist attention.
Minor ailments of the ears. These consist of small boils In the outer passage of
the ear and which can be very painful, wax, foreign bodies (chiefly met with in the
younger children) and the slighter degrees of earache and discharging ears. As with minor
eye diseases these ear conditions are much less common than formerly. The more serious
conditions, considered to require specialist attention are referred, subject to agreement
with the child's family doctor, to the ear, nose and throat specialist. These serious
cases are seen much less frequently than formerly and the aural specialist in his report
notes a marked redaction In the number of chronic ear diseases In the Borough.
Miscellaneous conditions . These form the bulk of the cases treated and consist of
a very mixed collection such as bruises, sores, chilblains, boils, whitlows and minor
injuries of various kinds, namely, cuts, abrasions and small lacerations.
The above cases form the main mass of work at minor ailment clinics and the following
figures give the number of cases of these kinds which were seen at the clinics during the
year:-
Skin Diseases 913
External Eye Diseases 192
Minor Ear Defects 156
Miscellaneous Defects 1,06l
Total: 2,342
The total number of children who attended the three individual clinics for all
purposes was as follows:-
Clinic New Cases
Stratford 1,126
Balaam Street 1,360
Rosetta 1,473
It is, of course, necessary for many of the children co attend on more than one
occasion, and medical officers differ in the number of times they wish their cases to
attend the clinic. Some indication of the volume of work carried out at these clinics
will be obtained from the following tables-
Clinic No. of Attendances
Stratford 3,725
Balaam Street 6,839
Rosette 7,187
Total 17,751
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