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44
"Even though there has been some reduction in the
number of treatments given during 1943, the amount of work
done by Mrs. Yorke, the masseuse, is very large, particularly
as much of it is individual and cannot be carried out in classes,
and it is only by her careful organisation of the work and her
efficiency that such good results are obtained at the clinic.
It is interesting to note that the number of-treatments compared
with 1940 is more than doubled.
"Analysis of the cases during the past few years shows
a remarkable reduction of rachitic deformities, a steady flow
of congenital deformities and of postural spinal defects (the
latter never large) and an increase during the past two years
of cases of foot defects on which I commented last year, and
almost certainly due to the inclusion of secondary school
children. It is noticeable that few cases of bone and joint
tuberculosis are ever seen at the orthopaedic clinic; this is
due to their attendance at the County Tuberculosis Dispensaries
which is rather an unfortunate division of crippled children
between two authorities when housed and educated in one
borough.
"Education at school is, of course, an essential part of
the training of every child, and more so of the physically
defective on account of his handicap and on account of gaps in
his education due to illness and periods spent in hospitals
where education is not provided. For education purposes
physically defective children can be sub-divided into four
groups
1. Severely crippled children whose homes are unsatisfactory.
2. Severely crippled children whose homes are satisfactory.
3. Moderately crippled children who can get to school
without special transport, and who benefit adequately
at a school for normal children.
4. Moderately or temporarily severely crippled children
who have recently been discharged from hospital and
who are not fit enough to attend a school for normal
children for the time being.
"Those in the first group are much better taken away
from their homes and educated in residential schools for