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Cervical
Cytology and
Cancer
Education
This service continued to operate smoothly throughout
1967.
Demand for appointments was well maintained until the
latter end of the year, when a decrease in applicants for
appointments made us reduce the clinics held at the Public
Health Offices from two to one every thing Thursday. A letter from
your Chairman to the Press, pointing out the necessity for, and
the value of this service, resulted in a gratifying response and
we were able, before the year was out, to resume our two
sessions every week.
Plans were made to extend the service to Wanstead and
Hainault in 1968 when it is proposed to hold a session twice a
month at Wanstead Place Clinic, and sessions on "demand'
basis at Manford Way Clinic.
At the Public Health Offices teaching is given on selfexamination
of the breasts when women attend for smear tests,
and this offers an excellent opportunity to discuss the signs
of breast cancer. Self-examination is the most practical method
at present of achieving early diagnosis, but most probably in
the future women in the "at risk" age group will have periodic
special X-ray examinations designed to detect malignant
growths at a far earlier stage than any form of external physical
examination. I think it is of some interest here to note that
while our doctors and nurses were instructing women In this
technique, three breast tumours were discovered and referred
for treatment. This surely supports the case for periodic
medical checks for women in certain age groups.
2,190 smears were taken in 1967 at our clinics, and 6
positive findings were recorded. This of course is ample
justification for the service.
Geriatric
Clinic
At the suggestion of a General Practitioner enquiries were
made into the possibility of holding special sessions at a local
clinic for the purpose of screening elderly patients.