London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1925
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1925
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41
Dental Clinic.
The work carried out at the Dental Clinic during 1925 for the
treatment of expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5
years of age was satisfactory. Under the provisions of the Maternity
and Child Welfare Act, as part of the comprehensive scheme of the
Council for Maternity and Child Welfare, dental facilities were
provided in August, 1920. Arrangements were made for this
service with the British Dental Hospital, who furnished the necessary
equipment and the services of a Dental Surgeon (Mr. J. Rhys
Herbert, L.D.S., R.C.S.(Eng.), the Council providing accommodation
at the Plough Road Centre. The Dental Clinic began with
cne session weekly, but the attendance of patients in a few months
had increased to such an extent that a second session and, later, a
third session, had to be provided weekly. The popularity of thig
health service has steadily increased, and there can be no question
that it has produced excellent results. The Dental Clinic is available
for expectant and nursing mothers and children attending the
Voluntary Association's Clinics included in the Council's scheme,
on the recommendation of the Medical Officers in charge, as well
as for those attending the Council's Municipal Clinics.
The work of the Dental Clinic during 1925 is summarised as follows:—
| Number of sessions held | 149 | |
| Total number of patients (women 244, children 50) | 294 | |
| Total attendances (women 1,601, children 64) | 1,665 | |
| Work carried out:— | ||
| Extractions— | ||
| Ordinary | 25 | |
| With local anaesthetic | 352 | |
| „ general anaesthetic | 987 | 1,364 |
| Scaling and polishing | 52 | |
| Fillings (simple) | 65 | |
| Upper dentures | 44 | |
| Lower dentures | 39 | |
| Dressings and treatment to gums | 52 | |
| Repairs to dentures | 18 | |
| Prescriptions given | 52 | |
| Advice | 535 | |
The estimated cost of dental treatment (Maternity and Child Welfare) in 1925 was £459 2s. 5d. This sum includes £167 7s. 9d. paid for dentures supplied, the cost of which was distributed as under:—
| £ | s. | d. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contributed by patients | 97 | 16 | 0 | |
| Grants from Saturday and Sunday Hospital Funds | 47 | 8 | 6 | |
| Grants from other philanthropic agencies | 16 | 1 | 0 | |
| Grant by Guardians | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
| Contribution by Council | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| £167 | 7 | 9 | ||
The nett cost to the Council during the year was £296 Is. 8d.