View report page

114
Out of 2,329 children referred for dental treatment, the
parents or guardians of 1,147, or 49 per cent., made use of
the opportunity offered, an improvement of 14 per cent. over the
preceeding year.
As in other departments of the School Medical Service, School
Nurses follow up at the homes of children with defective teeth, and
thereby ensure a larger attendance of children at the Dental Clinic
who otherwise would not obtain treatment through a hospital or
privately.
Crippling Defects and Orthopœdics.
As in previous years the treatment by remedial exercises of
children suffering from spinal curvature was carried out under the
supervision of the medical staff by the Organizer of Physical Training.
The class was held on four afternoons weekly. The
following table gives an account of the work done by Miss
Appleton at this clinic:—
Number of children treated during the year (1st
degree only) 55
,, discharged as not requiring further treatment
29
,, discharged for other reasons, e.g., for
hospital treatment, over school age,
etc. 12
,, attending on December 31st, 1921 24
Total number of attendances during 1921 1662
As far as possible only the more severe cases of spinal curvature
are treated at this, clinic, classes having been formed at Whitehorse
Road School and St. Andrew's School in which children
suffering from milder degrees of curvature were given daily
remedial treatment under the direction of two specially selected
lady teachers, and under the supervision of the Medical Officer and
the Supervisor of Physical Training. Admissions to and discharges
from these classes are made lay the Medical Officer at his
monthly visits.
In connection with the causation of the milder degrees of
scoliosis, although figures for the full year are not obtainable, it is
significant to notice that many of these subjects suffer from minor
differences in the length of the two lower limbs. Other causative
factors are associated with the acquisition of faulty attitudes in
sitting, writing, etc., traceable in some instances to the use of the
older types of school desk.
Under Miss Cooke as masseuse and Miss Appleton, the holding
of breathing exercise classes and the Spinal Remedial Class are
conducted at the Central Polytechnic. Here in a large room it is
possible for remedial exercises and massage to be carried out
concurrently. The breathing exercise classes are held in the early
part of the morning so as not to interfere with the work of the
other two clinics.