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136
1 he 210 cases of external eye disease and the 761 children
with vision = 6/12 or less all require treatment, and it
is satisfactory to be able to record that the Committee by
establishing an Eye Clinic is now in a position to deal with
these cases.
In addition many cases of 6/9 vision are astigmatic,
and suffer from eye strain; and the cases of squint require
investigation as to the cause. Such children are also
referred to the Eye Clinic for further examination and treatment
where necessary.
Teeth, Cervical or Neck Glands.—Only 2,912 out
of 7,358 children examined, or 39.57 per cent., were found
to have sound teeth. 1,502 children, or 20.4 per cent. of
the total examined, had more than four teeth decayed, and
it was quite exceptional to find that any treatment had been
obtained in these cases.' Children with this number oi
decayed teeth urgently require treatment.
In a large number of cases the parents are willing to
obtain treatment, but are unable to do so, on account of
the expense incurred, and attendance at a dental hospital
often means much delay and waiting, with consequent loss
of valuable time to the parents.
The establishment of a Dental Clinic would ensure the
early treatment of these cases, and preserve in childhood
many of those permanent teeth which under existing circumstances
have to be extracted. Other diseases, secondary to
dental caries, would also be prevented.
Such diseases include Enlarged Cervical or Neck
Glands, which were noted in 709 cases, or 9.6 per cent. of
the children examined.
In some cases the glands are Tuberculous, but in the
majority of cases the enlargement is secondary to carious
teeth or septic conditions of the mouth, throat, ears, or
scalp.