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23
(1) The Surgeons at the Orthopaedic Hospital are willing to see
children sent to them by this Authority for the purpose of confirming the
diagnosis and for advice regarding the necessary treatment. No charge
for this is asked, but I suggest that this Committee make either a yearly
contribution to the Hospital or pay a small fee for every child sent. Cost,
5 to 10 guineas.
(2) Where residential treatment is necessary, the Authorities will
take the cases into Stanmore at a charge of two guineas a week. As this
is a "Special School," this Authority has power to send children there as
soon as they reach the age of two years.
It is difficult to say how many beds we would require, as a case might
stay in three months, a year or longer.
One of the common causes of crippling is tuberculosis, but the
County deals with these cases. Another cause is infantile paralysis.
I know of 22 cases amongst our school children, and assuming they are
spread over the whole 10 years of school life, this would allow for 2.2
cases per year. This:disease, under the heading of Anterior Poliomyelitisi
has been a notifiable disease for the last 10 years, but the total number of
notifications received during that time only number 13. It is a disease
essentially of young children. Other causes of crippling are congenital
deformities, such as club foot, those due to injuries or disease at birth, to
rickets, to accidents, etc. There are 10 such cases known to me, making
on the average one a year.
Two beds (reserved by this Authority) would allow nine months'
treatment of 2.2 cases of infantile paralysis, and four months of one or
more of the other forms of crippling.
Total cost of two beds, ^210 per annum.
(3) Outpatient Treatment—After residential treatment, and for
other cases, outpatient treatment would be required, such as massage,
electrical treatment, and re-education of muscles.
The Hospital Authorities are prepared to send a specially trained
nurse to carry out this treatment at our own clinic. The cost of the nurse
would be {150 to £200, depending on whether we required her part time
or whole time. The cost of the electrical apparatus would be at least £"30,
plus upkeep.