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73
5 CASES OF MENTAL RETARDATION - ACTION TAKEN
For report to local health authority as unsuitable for
education in school 2
For trial period in day nursery and, probably. Later
report to local health authority 1
Under Supervision of Cerebral Palsy Unit 1
Under Supervision of Cerebral Palsy Unit and Audiology Unit 1
Orthopaedic Cases
Mr. E. Hambly, F.R.C.S., the orthopaedic surgeon at the Prince of Wales's General
Hospital, continues to supervise the physiotherapy of a large number of dystrophy cases
at the school who are under the immediate care of Miss Marcus, the physiotherapist.
Mr. Hambly emphasises the excellence of her work and her enthusiasm, which has done
much to make this unit one of the best of its kind. In conclusion, Mr. Hambly
comments on the close co-operation which exists between Dr. Dunham and himself in the
running of these quite separate units at the school.
Orthopaedic Clinics
Once again the orthopaedic clinics in both boroughs have been very well attended
throughout the year. 163 new cases of whom 68 were pre-school children, have been
seen by Mr. E.G.M. Palser, the visiting consultant who has taken charge of the Hornsey
orthopaedic clinic in place of Mr. E. T. Bailey. 527 children were re-examined by the
consultant and there were no less than 3,04.0 attendance for treatment by the physiotherapist.
An increase in the number of cases of knock-knee seen during the year posed the
question as to whether Hornsey children are becoming more liable to this condition, or
whether more of the less obvious cases are being picked out by school medical officers
at routine medical inspections. A longer period of observation will be necessary
before the answer can be forthcoming. Meanwhile, a new appliance for the treatment
of spinal curvature has been designed, made and used in a temporary setting. Now
that the extension to the Weston Park Clinic premises is completed, the apparatus will
be permanently installed.
In Tottenham Mr. E. Hambly comments enthusiastically on the full attendances at
the Lordship Lane Clinic, being particularly impressed by the frequency with which
parents, and often both parents, accompanied their children. This, he feels, reflects
a very high standard of living in the borough and the keen interest of both parents in
their children's medical welfare.
Ophthalmic Clinics
As in previous years, the correction of errors of refraction and the diagnosis
and treatment of a convergent squint comprised the bulk of the work undertaken by
Dr. R. Welch, the visiting consultant to the Hornsey Eye Clinic. In his experience,
the commonest error of refraction found in Infants' Schools is "long-sightedness"and,
if this is of only moderate severity, when combined with astigmatism, it invariably
requires correction with glasses which must be worn constantly. Moreover, the child's
general health and progress at school may show remarkable improvement following the
correction of a refractive error previously unsuspected. In the secondary school age
group "short-sightedness" is the predominating defect and such cases require regular
refraction since the condition tends to increase during the years of growth.