View report page

56
"Altogether, the mothers made 1,153 visits to the Mattock
Lane Centre where all of this work was performed. Four visits are
needed for each case where dentures are to be supplied, the stages
of the work in adapting dentures being first the impression of the
mouth, then the registration of occlusion, or bite, thirdly the
'try-in' stage and lastly the adaptation and finish of the dentures.
Sometimes another visit is required for adjustment. Scalings and
polishings were done in 30 mouths. This number had minor
affections of the mouth which were satisfactorily treated by suitable
dressings and mouth washes.
"Pre-School Children.—Dental inspections and treatment of
children under five are carried out at the four Centres, one session
being devoted to treatment each week. Altogether 356 children
visited the dentists, an increase of 48 over the previous year.
"In the year 1930, 156 pre-school children were treated, exactly
200 less than the number of to-day. Undoubtedly, many more
children require treatment and if parents realised the advantages
to be had from yearly treatment, the number presented for treatment
would increase to about the same yearly figure that enter the
schools at five years (i.e., about one thousand). Unfortunately
the old fears and objections to treatment at an early age still
exist and it is to be regretted that a great many of the younger
mothers seem to have inherited the same ideas.
"The treatment for these children was not wholly of a conservative
character owing to the advanced state of decay encountered
in many cases, and the removal of 1,053 temporary teeth was
necessary. Fillings were inserted in 385 temporary teeth. These
fillings are of a permanent nature, silver amalgam being used
which will last until the tooth is lost naturally."
INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.
The supervision of foster-children in accordance with the
requirements of the Children and Young Persons Acts, 1908 to
1932, entails a large amount of work. The Health Visitors,
who have been designated Infant Protection Visitors, made 810
visits in connection with the care of foster-children. In addition
numerous enquiries relating to this work have to be dealt with
at the Health Centres and at the Public Health Department.
The difficulties met with are greatly increased by the fact that a
large number of the children are illegitimate and the financial