View report page

25
examined, and any suspicious condition would cause the operation to
be delayed or abandoned. When the patient is sufficiently restored from
the operation to return to the parents, he is re-examined by the Surgeon
to ensure that the operation has been entirely satisfactory. During the
interval of waiting the parents are instructed upon the treatment to be
followed and exercises the children will require to engage in to assist
them in their recovery, and to enable them to regain the full use of
the previously obstructed passages. At the expiry of a week from the
date of operation the children are again examined by the surgeon, and
if everything is satisfactory they are returned to school, and the
"following-up" cards duly filled in are affixed to the medical inspection
record card.
Tottenham is now fortunate in having three expert Throat Surgeons
attached to their School Medical Service, for the assistant school medical
officers have displayed that dexterity in the treatment of throat cases
that would give them a prominent position amongst their confreres. This
fact has contributed very largely to the keeping of the waiting list within
workable limits, for it is possible, working by relays of doctors and
nurses, to treat operatively 44 cases a week, 12 each on Tuesdays and
Thursdays and 20 on Saturdays. The quality of the work done at
this clinic is testified to by the number of applications for treatment
received on behalf of children not in attendance at public elementary
schools and even from outside the district. The staff present at the
operations comprises Dr. Martin and one or both of the assistant
school medical officers and three nurses. Two nurses attend upon the
patient at the operation and one is in charge of the children
in the recovery room. This branch of the service may be
considered to be in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. Any development
in this connection should be towards providing one or two beds
for patients who give indications that medical treatment may be required
overnight, and in that event, sleeping accommodation should be made
available for the medical officer on duty.
THE X-RAY CLINIC.
A room at Bruce Castle has been fitted up with X-Ray apparatus
for the treatment of Ringworm, skin diseases of particular types, glandular
affections, and other conditions for which X-Ray treatment is applicable.
During the past year this treatment for Ringworm of the scalp was
administered on behalf of your Committee at the Great Northern