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facilities for treatment, London, compared with the country generally, is in a far better position as
regards aural defect, and it is satisfactory to observe that so many children are securing treatment.
1,722 children were referred to the Council's centres as compared with 1,602 during 1918. 1,322
children received X.ray treatment.
Ringworm.
47,414 children, the highest number on record, were treated for minor ailments, or nearly 12,000
more than in 1918. The new cases, together with those under treatment at the beginning of the year
made 846,734 attendances. The visits paid by the nurses to the homes of the children numbered
21,024, and in 6,086 cases arr ngements were made for convalescent treatment or other forms of aftercare.
Minor
ailments.
Mr. C. Edward Wallis reports that owing to the difficulty of obtaining suitable premises it was
only possible to open one additional dental centre during the year 1919. The total number of centres
in operation at the end of the year was 44. Further provision was, however, made at certain of the
existing centres, and the number of children actually treated during the year was 79,216, as compared
with 68.445 during the vear 1918.
Dental
treatment.

Although under the original Board of Education recommendations elementary school children
were not dentally inspected as a routine measure until the age of six, it has been a common occurrence
for children under this age to attend for treatment at the centre, sometimes at the request of the parents,
but more frequently from the fact that their elder brothers and sisters had already been treated with
obvious benefit to their health.
Age for
commencing
treatment
It has long been known by dental surgeons that by the age of 6½ a child's first permanent molars
have frequently become so carious as to be already beyond the scope of conservative treatment, and
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