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61
second year at the British Dentists' Hospital, 31, Camden Road, N.W. 1.
The hospital is paid by the Council for the use of its premises and equipment
and the services of the matron, the Council paying its own dentist
(Mrs. Winifred Murch, L.D.S.) and anaesthetist (Dr. J. Maughan). In 1919
the clinics were held rather more often than once a week, and the work done
was as follows: —
Number of Clinics 55
„ with nitrous oxide 13
„ new cases (mothers) 214
,, „ (children) 101
315
Total number of attendances 902
Number of attendances for extractions under nitrous oxide 140
,, „ „ „ local anaesthesia 80
,, „ when fillings were done 115
,, ,, ,, scalings were done 88
„ „ for impressions, fitting dentures, etc. 355
„ „ „ examinations, etc. 103
No charge is made for extractions (with or without "gas"), fillings and
scalings, but the patients are required to pay towards the expense of dentures.
For these the dentist is paid separately at the rate of £2 for one denture,
and £4 for two dentures. The patients obtain assistance from the Metropolitan
Hospital Sunday Fund, pay themselves according to our assessment, and
the remainder of the fees have been paid from a special voluntary fund
which has been raised by A. Escott, Esq., Chairman of the Maternity and
Child Welfare Sub-Committee during the earlier part of the year.
In general the patients themselves pay about half the cost of the dentures.
In 1919, 57 patients were fitted with dentures. The total cost of these was
£181 10s., of which £96 10s. was paid by the patients themselves, £40
(for 44 patients) by the local voluntary fund, and £45 (50 patients) by the
Hospital Sunday Fund.
The work of the dental clinic is growing, and the number of sessions has
been increased since the end of the year.
Clinic for Sick Mothers and Children under school age.—The weekly clinic
(Dr. F. L. Provis) has been continued at the St. Pancras Dispensary, 39,
Oakley Square, N.W. 1. The patients are referred to the clinic from the
infant welfare centres, the health visitors, and other sources. During 1919
394 new cases under five years of age were treated, the total number of
attendances of sick children being 1,523 ; 141 women were also treated for
illness associated with pregnancy or the puerperium, who made 520 attendances.
The medical officer is paid by the Council, and there is a half-time
visiting nurse, half of whose salary is repaid to the Dispensary by the
Mayoress of St. Pancras Nursing Fund for Sick Poor Children. In 1919 the
nurse made 913 visits to children under 5.
Supply of food to mothers and children under school age.—Reference is made
to the supply of milk for mothers and children on page 30.
In regard to other food, the Council in January, 1920, made a grant of £50 to
the Kentish Town Dining Room for Mothers, Lyndhurst Hall, where nursing
mothers and young children attending the North St. Pancras School for
Mothers are supplied with cheap dinners.