[Report 1919] / School Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City.

  • Leeds (England). City Council.
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1919] / School Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/46 (page 9)
    The total attendance at all the Medical Clinics for the year was 96,070, an increase of 32,005 over the previous twelve months, of this number 78,311 were for treatment of Minor Ailments. These attendances were made by 13,315 children, which averages 7.2 attendances per child. This high figure is partly explained by the numerous cases of Skin Diseases which required prolonged treatment. For example Scabies accounted for 5,352 attendances, Impetigo 23,238, Ringworm 16,341, Uncleanliness 8,236, a total _ g of 53,167 attendances out of 96,070. The remainder of the children had thus about 3 attendances each. The attendance for Rickets was 1,116 ; the majority were cases for Massage and Remedial Exercises. Of the 13,315 children who attended the Clinics, 11,474 were cured of their defects, the others are those remaining under treatment at the end of the year. There is an increase on the previous year of 1,396 cases cured. Whilst the Branch Clinics draw their cases from an approxi¬ mately equal number of children the number who attended has varied considerably, the largest being that of Edgar Street with 24,182, and the least that of Burley with 12,154 attendances. The facilities for dealing with cases reported as suffering from Refraction Clinic. Defective Vision have again proved inadequate, as 1,100 cases were awaiting treatment on the 31st December, 1919. During the year 4,762 cases have been referred for treatment, and at reinspections it was found that 1,198 children had obtained treatment privately. The arrangements for treatment at the Central Clinic by Dr. Hopton on five half-days per week have been continued, and a Refraction Room was opened at the Holbeck Clinic on the 24th November, 1919, where Dr. McGillivray attends on four half-days each week. To deal with the arrears Dr. Hebblethwaite has been appointed as part-time officer. He will attend four Sessions at the Central Clinic and three Sessions at the Holbeck Clinic. It is found that Vision cases require constant supervision in order to secure that the glasses provided are satisfactory and that they are worn regularly. Many spectacles are obtained from unqualified persons. These glasses are in most cases unsatisfactory, e.g., in one case during the year the vision was reported 0/30-6/60 —glasses were obtained privately which gave 6/30-6/30. This was not regarded as satisfactory. - The boy was tested at the Central Clinic and glasses which gave 6/6-6/6 were prescribed which is normal refraction.