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120
Dental Defects.
Three part-time dental officers were engaged in work at the
Dental Clinic throughout the year, the clinic being open for eight
sessions in each week.
Out of the 2,327 children, chiefly of the six-year age group,
found to need dental treatment, 1,417 actually received such treatment
at the Dental Clinic, while a further 194 were re-treated
during the year as a result of re-examination in school. Details
as to the number of attendances, number of extractions and fillings,
etc., are given in Appendix C, Table IV., Group 4.
In January, 1924, the Education Committee approved a
scheme for the development of dental work. The scheme, which
set out a progressive programme extending over three years,
provided for a gradual replacement of the part-time by wholetime
dental officers; for dental inspection and treatment to commence
in due course at 5 years instead of 6; for annual reexamination,
extending in scope year by year; and for co-operation
with the Public Health Committee by using the dental officers
to inspect and treat mothers and children under the maternity
and child welfare scheme, and tuberculous patients under the
tuberculosis scheme. The report on the subjcct is given in an
appendix, and will be dealt with in greater detail in the next
annual report, by which time it is to be hoped that the scheme
will be in full working order.
Crippling Defects and Orthopaedics.
Three clinics dealing with various types of crippling defects
are conducted in a room allotted for the purpose at the Central
Polytechnic :—
(a) Spinal Remedial Class, in which children with various
degrees of spinal curvature receive corrective exercises and treatment
at the hands of Miss Appleton, the organiser of physical
training, under the general supervision of a medical officer,
who attends at regular intervals to ascertain the progress made
in each case. The class is held on four afternoons in each week.

This clinic draws its cases in part from children referred from
routine medical inspections in the schools, or from the school
clinic, and in part from corrective exercise classes, which were
held throughout the year at the Whitehorse Manor Girls' School,