London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1916

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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year, 3 months, 8 days. These cases are now doing better because they are not so severe, or of such
long-standing as when the centre was started.
Discontinuance of treatment gives the nurse a good deal of work, for every case is personally
visited by her, and the reason for non-attendance asked for. In a. few cases, the child has left school
or the neighbourhood; but in the majority the parents say that the child is well, and that there is no
need for further attendance. To say that all these cases relapse would be, I think, to take too gloomy
a view, many are undoubtedly cured. At the same time, the parents' statement cannot be accepted
without question; it is safer to class such cases as doubtful. The children sent to hospital and on the
books are doing well, on the whole. . . .
The above figures represent in the aggregate a considerable amount of suffering, borne very
bravely and uncomplainingly. Further, the regularity with which these children present themselves
for, and the fortitude with which they undergo, what are sometimes (of necessity), painful methods
of treatment, show a spirit of discipline and confidence which is very pleasing and encouraging."
Dental Treatment. —Mr. C. E. Wallis reports that in spite of many difficulties contingent upon
the war, the Council's Dental Treatment Scheme has been maintained in full working order. 81,794
children have been examined in the schools by the Council's inspecting dentists, and 49,844 children
have received treatment at the Council centres.

The results of dental treatment for the year 1916 are.as follows :—

Total number of children attended49,844No. of other operations, e.g., scaling, immediate regulation, application of AgNO3, etc.8,581
No. of attendances77,186
No. of teeth or roots extracted—No. of general anresthetics—
Temporary186,067Nitrous oxide9,831
Permanent24,865Ethyl chloride7,945
No. of stoppings39,442Other general ansthetics610

To each dental treatment centre is allotted a "sphere of influence," in the shape of so many
schools, for the dental inspection and treatment of which it is responsible. During the opening year
of a new centre the treatment is mainly confined to children aged 6, 7, and 8, an additional year of age
being added every subsequent year, so that ultimately children will be inspected, and when necessary
treated, year by year throughout their school lives.
Two new centres have been established since the last report, at Soho and Holloway, and have
been for some months in full working order. Seven more centres have been sanctioned, which will
make provision for the treatment of about 12,000 additional children per annum. At three centres
women dentists have been appointed.
It is important to note that each dental centre forms part of a complete dental scheme, in which
prevention and treatment of dental disease go hand in hand. Not only are the children regularly inspected
and treated, but special efforts are made to instruct parents and children in the elements of dental
hygiene, both during part of the school dental inspection session and also when attending the centre
for purposes of treatment. It is an essential part of the scheme that the mothers should, as far as
possible, accompany the children when attending for treatment in order that they may receive instruction
from the " centre " dentists in regard to the teeth of their children.
Equipment of Centres.—Owing to the increase in the cost of dental apparatus, the Council has
found it necessary to increase the grant allowed for the initial equipment of a centre from £50 to £60.
Schools for
mothers.
Schools for Mothers.—An interesting development is being initiated by the provision of dental S
treatment at certain of the Council's dental centres in connection with "schools for mothers." The
committee of the Fulham Treatment Centre utilises the centre premises and equipment for the treatment
of the teeth of expectant and nursing mothers. This treatment is provided on two evenings weekly
from 6 to 8, and besides affording great benefit to the mothers themselves, it provides a connecting link
between the dental treatment of mothers and the subsequent treatment of their children.
Similar schemes are under consideration at Notting Dale, Hammersmith, and Woolwich Centres
and at one centre steps are about to be taken for the dental inspection and treatment of infants not
yet attending school, and therefore ineligible for treatment under the Council's arrangements.
Re-inspections and Following up of Ailing Children.
No less than 181,035 reports upon children who had previously been found to require observation
or treatment were made by the medical staff during the course of the year. The work of following up
the children found at primary inspections to present symptoms of illness is therefore assuming vast
proportions.
According to the scheme, adopted for the purpose of ensuring orderly and complete re-inspection,
the cases coming before the school doctors for review during the year comprised, in each term, the following
groups of children :—
1st re-inspection of 2nd re-inspection of
Term. children found ailing in children found ailing in
I. 2nd term, 1915 3rd term, 1914
II. 3rd term, 1915 1st term, 1915
III. 1st term, 1916 2nd term, 1915
120,000 children were due for first, re-inspection during the year. Of these, 6,208 had removed
and could not be traced, and reports were left outstanding in 12,745 instances, owing to absence of the
children from school or other cause. Of the 101,047 remaining, 37,624 were discharged as cured, and