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The following was the work carried out by Mr.Finbow:-
Number of prescriptions dispensed: 1,071
Number of repairs to spectacles: 839
In addition a number of minor repairs were carried out on the premises.
Fifty-four prescriptions were dispensed by outside opticians.
THE PAEDIATRIC CLINIC
Report by
E.Hinden, M.D., M.R.C.P.
The work of the Consultative Paediatric Clinic has continued on the same lines as in
previous years. The movement of the post-war 'bulge' in the birth-rate is clearly discernable
in the numbers of children referred in their teens.
A question which frequently crops up, is the value of the recuperative holiday. In
some cases, as after a prolonged illness such as rheumatic fever, or after a serious operation,
its worth is not in doubt. Again, when a child in a large family living in an overcrowded
house, has borne a bad winter with minor infections, and has lost weight and vitality in
consequence, few would question the beneficial effect of a couple of weeks of hearty feeding
at the seaside. But what are we to say about the small school-child, growing slowly, with
poor appetite and lacklustre mien, but with no evidence of malnutrition or organic disease?
Is it likely that a short break will change the fundamental tempo of his growth or his
saturnine disposition? And what of the, asthmatic? I feel that for both of these groups a
long-term open-air school is the better suggestions.
Finally there remains a small group of children whose illness demands "therapeutic
isolation" from their families. Usually there is some deep unease in the home, so that the
normal tolerance which members of a household have for each others' quirks is low from the
beginning. Then it does not take long for some trivial upset to strain mother's patience
beyond endurance, so that she snaps at the child, who responds with sullen rebellion - and
a vicious circle is set up. Often removing the child to the countryside for a few weeks
will take the tempers off the boil and permit family life to continue. I do not suggest
that basically the family discord has been resolved (usually it is practically impossible
to do so), but often the time gained leads to tolerable compromise. We must remember that
many of the childish behaviour disorders which precipitate domestic crises are self-limited
and short-lived; but to assuage them we require to dilute domestic tensions with physical
remoteness. The only important contra-indication to the recuperative holiday is the age of
the child: except in rare instances I would not advise sending a child of under 7 years
away from home, unless indeed his mother could accompany him. In general, with the rising
standard of nutrition, housing, and family understanding, I am using this form of treatment
less and less.
I should like to thank the Medical Officers of the Health Department for referring
the children to me, and the family doctors concerned for permitting them to do so; and my
colleagues at Whipps Cross Hospital, Dr.P.Tettmar, Radiologist, and Dr.W.W.Walther,
Pathologist, for allowing me the facilities of their departments.
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