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102
The dental department is evidently doing splendid work,
and the report shows that the London County Council is slowly
(very slowly, judging from the way the proposal for some
new dental centres has been hung up) beginning to see how
necessary it is that the teeth of the children should be cared
for, and cared for early. Two things show how carefully the
work is done here. First, that while 2,794 children attended, the
number of permanent teeth extracted was only 730; and,
secondly, that 4,974 teeth were stopped.
Those in charge of this health centre are making many
other pioneer efforts. The report on remedial gymnastics
carried on at the Evelyn Medical Homes, where breathing
exercises are taught, curvatures of the spine treated, and toothbrush
drill engaged in are examples of good "following-up"
work. The infancy department, the open-air day and night
schools or camps, the shower-bath and its adjuncts, and the
breakfast on Scottish oatmeal are all in the right direction and
bid fair, if carried out wisely and universally, to win the
children of the very poor into paths of cleanliness and health,
thereby " cutting off at its source the supply of patients to fill
the costly sanatoria."
Whooping Cough.
Average for
191.2. previous 10 years.
Number of Deaths 24 39
Death rate per 1000, Deptford 0.22 0.34
This disease was the cause of 24 deaths compared with
35, 44 and 47 for the three preceding years.
The death rate per 1000 persons living was 0.22 as compared
with 0.32, 0.37 and OHO for the three preceding years.
The deaths occurred among the inhabitants of the various
Wards as follows :—
East 8. North 4. North-West 9.
South-East 1. South-West 1. South 1.