Page 469 - Reading Mercury

The object, of course, of the clinic is to carry out the long and tedious treatment
necessary in cases of deformity, and also to prevent further deformities. The war
experience of surgeons now shows that it is quite possible to cure children suffering
from various deformities such as lameness, crooked back and cases of infantile
paralysis. As is pointed out by Dr. Ernest Ward, a member of the committee of the
Wokingham clinic, a large number of the deformities at present seen in children could
have been prevented had not the parents wearied of the expense and time taken in
visits to the hospital and also the discouragement at the very slow process of the cure.
Now, however, the parents need have no such worries and discouragements, for the
treatment is brought to the door of the patient, and if proper attention is given, the rate
of progress will, no doubt, as it has already done in some cases, prove astounding.
Great results are confidently expected, and already remarkable progress has been
made. It is expected that in time the presence of a crippled child will be considered a
disgrace to the town.
The clinic have several interesting cases in hand. A boy is being treated for a useless
(up to now) arm. This limb used to hang in a bent position by his side, the fingers
hanging down uncontrolled. Indeed, the child could not use the arm at all. Treatment
has been applied with success, and now the boy is able to slightly bend his arm
backwards and forwards, an act of which he was utterly incapable before. By
continual treatment the muscles will be built up again and he will again be able to use
that arm as freely as the other. After that has been achieved, attention will be directed
to the fingers, which also, it is hoped to put right again, so that the child will regain
complete control of arm and hand.
All the doctors in the town can bring their own patients. Captain Girdlestone attends
the Town Hall once a month, but Dr. Ward and his able assistants are there every
Saturday. Dr. C.J. Nicholson attends to the X-rays, and members of the V.A.D. also
assist. An after-care sister also visits the patients at home. Nurse Hessey and Nurse
Neve (the district nurse) are giving their services, and three other ladies, Miss
Robinson, Miss Gambler Parry and Miss A.T. Scott are assisting as masseuses.
A great deal of expense is entailed in this great work, but no one will deny that it is
a needy cause and one which deserves wholehearted support. At present there are
funds to carry on for the immediate future, but the surgical instruments are so costly
that more money is required to enable the work to be carried on and even extended.
An appeal is, therefore, made to the residents of Wokingham to assist such a laudable
object, in which we feel sure they will not be found wanting.

nd
Saturday Jan 22
The trustees for the Nonconformist burial ground have been appointed by the Mayor.

th
Saturday Feb 5
An inscription has been fitted to the shell presented to the War Savings Committee.
The timber for the stand that was provided by Alderman Hughes came from an 800-
year-old elm tree.

th
Saturday Feb 26
FREE CHURCH BURIAL GROUND
The new Free Church burial ground, Reading Road, Wokingham, was dedicated in
the presence of a large congregation on Wednesday afternoon. The short service was
conducted by the Rev. T.N. Philips (superintendent minister of the Reading Wesleyan
Circuit), and the Rev. C. Colin Dawson (Baptist minister).

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