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The cause of such a vast amount of dental caries is primarily
the ignorance and apathy of the parents. If a child is not in
acute pain from a dental abscess the parent thinks that there is
no cause for worry, and that dental decay is merely a sign of the
child's adolescence. About the importance of a clean mouth,
the public badly needs to be educated. The results of dental
caries and of a septic mouth are that the growing child is slowly
poisoned; it absorbs and swallows the products of decomposition
and decay, and this leads in time to malnutrition and dyspepsia.
Rheumatism and Heart Disease.—Out of the 2,825 children
examined, 5 were found to be suffering from organic lesions of
the heart, the sequel in the majority of cases to a previous attack
of rheumatism or rheumatic fever. Many of these children
develop this crippling disease owing to an infection of the tonsils,
and it is to be hoped that, as the school medical service becomes
more active, enlarged tonsils may be removed at an early date,
l»efore they have become diseased and of danger to the child.
In addition to the above, 74 children were found who had
some functional heart condition, and 37 who were anæmic.
Bronchitis and Pre-tuberculous condition of the Lungs.—At
the routine inspection, out of 2,825 children examined, 142 were
found to be suffering from bronchitis or from pre-tuberculous lung
conditions. Chronic bronchitis in children is of grave significance,
and the most satisfactory method of treatment is that of sending
the child to an open-air school or to a convalescent home.
Tuberculosis.—Out of 2,825 children examined, 7 were found
to be suffering from definite pulmonary tuberculosis, and 13 others
had some other form of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a slowly
infectious disease, and a child who is exposed to the possibility
of infection at home will be very likely to contract the disease
later. This is the reason that consumption is said "to run in
families." The disease goes through a house in just the same
manner as any other infectious disease, only more slowly.
Several conditions predispose a child to become consumptive
and lower its resistance to the tubercle bacillus; these adverse
conditions may shortly be summarised as follows:—