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86
were given a free order to obtain glasses in accordance with a
prescription and did not trouble to procure the glasses.
The individual character of spectacles is not always
appreciated. A child was sent to a hospital with a special
letter to obtain glasses. On a subsequent visit the S.M.O.
was told that the glasses had been tried but were of no use;
and as the child had been sent to an eye specialist of great
experience this was somewhat surprising. On further enquiry
it was found that the parents had been once to the hospital
but had failed to go a second time. The glasses worn had
been purchased by an uncle at "a shop in the city" and were
brought home and presented to the child. This explanation
fully accounted for the headache and objection to spectacles.
Teeth.
As mentioned in the last Annual Report, it was found
that many of the scholars have extremely bad teeth.
Only those children who have four or more carious teeth
are recorded in the report (as it was found necessary to fix an
arbitrary standard) but even with this standard 13.16% of
those examined are defective. It must also be remembered
that a large number of childen have one or more decayed
teeth forming the nucleus for further dental caries in later
years.
The use of a tooth brush is strongly urged during medical
inspection—with varying success according to the special local
conditions which prevail.
The importance of dental treatment seems insufficiently
understood, decayed teeth lead to enlarged cervical glands
from septic absorption, and it is generally admitted that all
sources of lymphatic irritation must be removed if the safeguards
of the body against tubercle are not to be weakened.
Dr. James Kerr has said "Neglect of dental treatment in
childhood often has seemed to lead through stomach troubles