London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Tottenham 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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47
During the first months, considerable time was spent in
organising the running of the clinics and in visiting schools. It was
necessary to visit the schools in order to gauge the size of the problem
and the conditions in the borough; furthermore, it was essential
that the head teachers should become acquainted with the speech
therapist and have some knowledge of the work that was to be
carried out in the Clinics. It was, therefore, not until September
that attendance at the clinics became regular and the therapist was
able to give full attention to the treatment of children.
The treatment being by nature a lengthy process, no very conclusive results can be shown in this short period.
| Nature of Defect. | Number of Cases Treated. | Discharged —Cured. | Treatment continued into 1946. | Left School. | Miscellaneous. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stammerers.. | 19 | — | 15 | 3 (much improved). | 1 (admitted to hospital). |
| Dyalalia | 20 | 1 | 18 | — | 1 (left district). |
| Lispers | 12 | 3 | 9 | — | — |
| Cleft Palate | 3 | — | 3 | — | —• |
| Dysarthria | 1 | — | — | — | 1 (removed to specl. schl.) |
| Aphasia | 1 | — | 1 | -— | — |
| Specl. Cases at School for Physically Handicapped Children | 7 | — | 7 | — | — |
| 63 | 4 | 53 | 3 | 3 |
Number of cases who have refused or failed to attend initial
interview—9.
Speech defect cases are referred to the medical officer either by
head teachers or by private doctors. Children are seen by the
doctor before attending the speech clinic in case treatment is
required from other branches of the school health service. Cases
have received treatment from other branches of the medical services
as follows
Ear, nose and throat 2
Audiometer test 2
Removal of tonsils and adenoids 2
Obturator fitted 1