[Report 1954] / School Medical Officer of Health, Northumberland County Council.

  • Northumberland (England). County Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / School Medical Officer of Health, Northumberland County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/60 (page 11)
    MEDICAL TREATMENT. Details of the treatment carried out in School Clinics are given in subsequent pages of the report. SKIN DISEASES. A Skin Clinic is held twice per month at Gosforth and is attended by Dr. Sydney Thompson, the Consultant Derma¬ tologist. The number of children who are seen continued to be small. Only 20 school children attended for treatment. The clinic is also attended by pre-school children. The main types of skin conditions treated were:— Ringworm. Alopecia Areata. Psoriasis. Plantar Warts. It has been necessary to give x-ray treatment for ringworm of the scalp to two boys during the whole year. OPHTHALMIC TREATMENT. Clinics throughout the County are held in schools, school clinics and Child Welfare Centres. Children found at school to have eye defects are referred for refraction to the Ophthalmic Surgeons who attend the clinics. Those found to require operative treatment receive it at the Newcastle upon Tyne Eye Hospital. During 1954, 810 sessions have been held, at which 6,463 children were examined. Glasses were prescribed for 3,560 children. The comparative figures for 1953 were 762 sessions, 6,187 examinations, and glasses were prescribed for 3,444 children. In addition to the 3,560 children who were prescribed glasses at these clinics, 510 children had them prescribed otherwise, making a total of 4,070, which was an increase of 139 over last year. Forms are issued to children who damage or lose their glasses, and 1,068 of these forms (O.S.C.10) were issued authorising the repair or replacement of their glasses. Pay¬ ment for these repairs and replacements are made by the Northumberland Ophthalmic Services Committee and the Education Committee. Orthoptic Treatment. Children requiring this form of treatment for the correction of squint attend the Newcastle upon Tyne Eye Hospital. For those children who do not respond to Orthoptic exercises, surgical treatment is carried out. The Administrative Officer has kindly supplied the following information concerning the children referred from School Clinics:— Number of new cases .. .. .. .. 35 Number of discharges .. .. .. .. 109 Total attendances .. .. .. .. .. 1,266