View report page

Orthopaedic Treatment.
For many years the Council had an arrangement with a private
masseuse for the treatment of minor orthopaedic defects in children.
In October a massage clinic was set up at the Rochester Road centre,
where three-hour sessions are held three times a week. This enabled
more frequent treatment to be given for the cases referred from the
Council's welfare clinics. The number of treatments given during the
year consequently rose to 1,027, which represents an average of l' j
treatments per child to the 41 cases dealt with. The defects for which
the children were treated were as follows:—
Genu-valgum 31
Genu-varum 2
General muscular weakness 7
Spastic Diplegia 1
Under an arrangement with the management, orthopaedic cases
are referred to the Out-Patient Department of the Croydon General
Hospital and assistance is available towards the cost of in-patient
treatment and the provision of surgical appliances.
Convalescent Treatment.
The Council has an arrangement with the Invalid Children's Aid
Association for the provision of convalescent treatment for children
attending the clinics. They also subscribe to the Surrey Convalescent
Homes so that mothers and babies may receive this treatment.
Four children were admitted to convalescent homes during the
year for periods of nine weeks, nine weeks, six weeks and seven weeks
respectively.
Maternity Hospital Treatment.
The St. Helier County Hospital constitutes the major provision for
institutional maternity for this district. By agreement, cases may
also be admitted to the War Memorial Hospital. The women referred
from the Council's clinic and admitted to hospital during the year were
as follows —
For obstetric For unsuitable
. and medical home
reasons. conditions. Total.
Carshalton (War Memorial)
Hospital — 3 3
St. Helier County Hospital 33 34 67
Other County Hospitals 5 36 41
38 73 111
The increasing number of mothers who were referred for unsuitable
home conditions is a reflection of the shortage of housing accommodation.
It is gratifying to note that, despite the greatly increased number of
births, the number of expectant mothers referred to hospital for obstetric
34