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48
(o) Ultra-Violet Light Clinic.—Special advantage has been taken of the
increased facilities for ultra-violet light treatment, and during the year no less than
3,982 treatments were given to toddlers and expectant and nursing mothers as
compared with 2,462 treatments for the previous year.
The increase in the numbers attending this clinic has been so marked that I
would refer you again to my remarks in an earlier part of the Report, where I have
pointed out the urgency for increasing the accommodation at this clinic.
(p) Dental Treatment.—It is my contention that dental hygiene should start
when indeed the teeth first make their appearance, and an attempt was made during
the year to get toddlers to attend for dental inspection only; thus trying to
inaugurate what would be a regular service for toddlers. I regret to say that out
of a large number of appointments made only one attended. These appointments,
however, were made during a holiday period and although we did not expect the
experiment to be a great success we did not anticipate such a failure.
I am also informed that it is difficult to get toddlers to attend for dental
treatment at all, but perhaps the nursery classes which you propose to set up will
help in this matter.
The Senior Dental Officer's Report will be found on page 65.
(q) Immunisation Clinic.—The scope of this clinic has been extended during
the year.
So far the numbers who have been immunised against diphtheria are too
small to influence the number of cases occurring in Barking.
A considerable proportion of the child population, particularly toddlers,
would have to be immunised before there would be any appreciable falling off in
the number of cases of diphtheria.
Rapid and safely produced immunity can be induced by means of injections
and without any unpleasant effects—152 children were immunised during the
• year.
Immunisation against scarlet fever has also been started and 44 children
completed their course of injections.