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dental decay can be detected only with the aid of a dental mirror
and a probe. Thus, whereas at medical inspections only some
21 per cent. of the children appeared to suffer from dental
defects, the school dentists referred for treatment 63 per cent. of
all children examined by them. A special effort was made
during 1927 to examine and treat children at the age of five years.
The parents of the entrants are invited to attend dental inspections
in order that the dentists may explain to them how necessary
it is that temporary teeth should receive adequate treatment.
During 1927 eight dental sessions were held weekly—20 half
days being devoted to inspection and 316 to treatment. The
school dentists examined 3,741 children and referred 2,708 for
treatment. Of those so referred 1,666, or 62 per cent., actually
received treatment. A general anæsthetic was administered on
1,293 occasions.
The school dental service is popular in Hornsey and, as
additional sessions are being arranged for 1928, there is no doubt
that in the near future every child attending the Hornsey elementary
schools will be given the chance of having adequate
dental treatment before reaching the age for leaving school.
(i) Crippling defects.—There are 35 crippled children on
the books of the elementary schools in the Borough. In 16 of
these cases crippling is the result of infantile paralysis and in 6 of
tuberculosis. During the year 3 children were sent to residential
institutions for cripples and 1 to a day cripple school. Advantage
is taken of the facilities offered by the orthopaedic hospitals and
departments in the Metropolitan area, and no difficulty is experienced
in obtaining hospital treatment for crippled children,
provided the parents can be induced to bestir themselves in the
matter. There is, however, a definite need for the provision of
remedial exercises, and it is hoped that, if the proposals for the
establishment of an open-air school materialise, this form of
treatment may be included in the scheme.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The schools have been free from Serious outbreaks of infectious
disease during the year under review. Chicken-pox, mumps
and whooping cough affected certain departments, but never
reached epidemic proportions in the Borough. Measles was
almost entirely absent.