View report page

113
men do not undertake the treatment of visual defects, but even
if they did and the necessary glasses were prescribed, the
parents in scores of cases cannot afford to purchase them.
Dental Affections.— Here again, skilled treatment with
special appliances is wanted, and this is necessarily expensive.
In a working class district like this few can afford the services
of a dentist to the extent that is necessary.
Ear Disease and Deafness.— The treatment of these conditions
is often prolonged, and in many chronic cases an
operation is practically the only remedy.
In London and in many large towns general hospitals are
available, in the out-patients' departments of which these cases
are being treated. But the hospitals of London have almost
more than they can do to 'treat the London children, and
therefore they are not available for outside districts, even if the
children could get there. Our local hospital is apparently for
accidents and minor surgical cases, and does not undertake the
treatment of the conditions named.
How is the difficulty to be overcome ? There are several
methods available:—
ist. Treatment by the Poor Law Authorities. This
would not be popular, and therefore would not be successful.
2nd. By establishing a School Clinic. The objection to
this is the expense of providing the necessary buildings, in
addition to the equipment, and also the difficulty of supervising
cases after operation. It occasionally happens that a case
needs keeping in bed for a day after operation, and for these
the conveniences of a hospital are necessary.
3rd. The most economical and satisfactory arrangement
would be to extend the usefulness of our local hospital by
adding to it an out-patient department properly equipped for
the treatment of the cases mentioned. This is not the place
to discuss the details of any such scheme, but I should like
H