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ORTHPAEDIC AND POSTURAL DEFECTS. Children with more severe degrees of these defects
were referred, as in previous years, to the orthopaedic surgeons at the Children's Hospital,
Plaistow, Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, and various other special hospitals. In many
cases insoles or wedging of the shoes were prescribed, while in a few cases orthopaedic
operations were carried out. In certain cases, when specialist opinion is helpful, as in
some handicapped children, it is willingly given by the specialists. Following the
establishment of the Council's own physiotherapy service at the beginning of 1952, 111
children were treated at Forest Street, Grange Road, Maybury Road, and at the Elizabeth
Fry Special school during the year. Cases known to have been treated outside the Council's
scheme numbered 122. Cases so treated have progressively fallen from 311 in 1952 to 122
at the end of 1955. Four of these 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 superintendent physiotherapist, continued her
work on a part-time basis. She attended three full days a week, approximately 89 per cent
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
were treated. For a short period in the early part of the year three physiotherapists
were working, Miss Murphy having commenced duty on 3rd February, and Mr.Boulton on 7th
March, and in March the physiotherapy services were extended, two exercise clinics being
put into operation, one at Forest Street Clinic and one at Maybury Road Clinic. The
superintendent physiotherapist referred children to these classes from the children
recommended for physiotherapy. The third physiotherapist. Miss Murphy, resigned on
28th April and from this date until 3rd October, when Miss Forrest commenced duty the
following programme was In operations-
Super int. endent
Physiotherapist Physiotherapist
Monday Grange Road Clinic Spastic Unit
P.M. Spastic Unit Forest Street Clinic
A.M. - Spastic Unit
Tuesday
P.M. - Spastic Unit
A.M. Spastic Unit Spastic Unit
Wednesday
P.M. Spastic Unit Maybury Road Clinic
Thursday A.M - Spastic Unit
P.M. - Spastic Unit
_ A.M. Spastic Unit Grange Road Clinic
Friday
P.M. Forest Street Clinic Spastic Unit
125