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One boy has been in a Residential Hospital School for the last three
months of the year, one boy has had a special chair on wheels supplied for
school use, and the others have had help towards securing splints and surgical
appliances; the cost to the Committee for latter being £17 16s. 6d.
In May of this year, I submitted to the Committee a scheme for
Orthopaedic Treatment under the auspices of the Royal National Orthopaedic
Hospital. This, however, was not adopted, but in order to give members the
opportunity of reviewing the scheme again, I present it in its entirety.
SPECIAL REPORT
on the
PROVISION OF ORTHOPAEDIC TREATMENT
FOR CRIPPLED AND DEFORMED CHILDREN.
" There have been recently, two letters on this subject from the Board of
Education, one dated March 7th, informing this Authority that the Managers
of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Great Portland Street, would be
willing to undertake the treatment of crippled and deformed children sent to
their branch Hospital at Stanmore, Middlesex (near Elstree). This is a
special school for physically defective children, and the Board of Education are
willing to recognise expenditure on approved arrangements.
The other letter refers to the provision of apparatus—splints, high boots,
etc.—in order to overcome the effects of the crippling and to enable the child to
get to school. The Board would consider individual cases, but they refer to
their previous letter of March 7th, and suggest that a scheme to cover the
whole treatment of the child should be propounded.
In accordance with instructions, I have visited Stanmore in company
with the Secretary to the Hospital, and carefully observed site, buildings,
arrangements for treatment, the food and water supply, the drainage, and
am quite satisfied with my observations. Unusual features were the
large amount of milk consumed by the patients—well over a pint a day—
and the fact that the cows supplying this had to be free from tuberculosis.
The following scheme for the treatment of our children has been drawn up
in consultation with the Secretary, to whom I am much indebted for the time
he gave and the interest he shewed.