1967-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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BOARD OF HEALTH time in a number of years two patients were hospitalized with active tuberculosis. To help prevent a resurgence of this disease the state health department has made available tuber- culin tine tests for clinic use. This testing is done by the school health services in the schools (grades one through nine) under the sponsorship of the health department. Preventive Disease Control The Lexington Lions Club continued their eye- screening programs under the sponsor- ship of the board of health. The pre - school eye- testing program for the detection of defi- ciencies in visual acuity and muscular balance was held for the sixth consecutive year. The one -day glaucoma screening program continues as a model program for neighboring towns. This year more than five hundred people were screened and again a number of eye disorders were referred for further study. The dental health program conducted in conjunction with the school health services screened all elementary grades for defects and sent notices to parents when a visit to the dentist was indicated. Clinical treatment is provided when financial hardship prevents parents from ob- taining needed corrective work. Education in dental health, a major part of the program, has become a part of the classroom curriculum. A lecture- demonstration type series is used in the classroom supplemented by visual aids. The use of experimental animals in the classroom last year proved most effective. In the lower grades, individual buttons and classroom banners with commendations still prove to be the most effective way in promot- ing group acceptance of good dental health practices. The Mystic Valley Children's Clinic, located at 186 Bedford Street, is a community child psychiatric clinic organized through a partnership arrangement between the Depart- ment of Mental Health and the Mystic Valley Mental Health Association. Over 300 new families have been admitted to the clinic each year for the past four years. The whole gamut of childhood emotional illness is seen including phobias, depressions, and psychosomatic illnesses, learning and reading problems, and behaviour disturbances of various degrees of severity which may or may not have led to police or court involvement. Approximately ten percent of all children seen at the clinic are mentally retarded and of these the great majority are seeking admission to the pre - school nursery clinics in Left to right: Robert C. Heustis, Director of Public Health, Dr. William Cosgrove, Rufus L. McQuillan, Chairman and Dr. Charles G. Colburn 28