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all children who require to undergo an operation and whose parents
have expressed their wish for the child to be treated through the
school medical scheme. The great advantage is that the children
remain in the hospital for the night following the operation.
Children referred to the hospital are seen by the Surgeon
who decides if an operation is necessary. It may be mentioned
that Mr. C. Graham, F.R.C.S., who for some years has been performing
the throat and nose operations both at the Mattock Lane
Centre and at the King Edward Hospital, continues to deal with
the cases. In fact the only difference entailed, beyond the child
staying in hospital over-night, is that the Council pays a fee of
£1 1s. 0d. per case to the hospital authorities instead of paying
a fee direct to Mr. Graham for his services. After their discharge
from hospital the children, as before, are visited in their homes
by the school nurses.
The new arrangements commenced in September and from
that time until the end of the year twelve cases were dealt with
at the hospital. Prior to the Summer vacation 54 children had
operations at the Health Centre, making a total of 66 cases dealt
with during the year.
(d) Dental Defects.—The report of Mr. C. Colenso, the
School Dentist, gives a survey of the work of dental inspection
and treatment during the year. Mr. Colenso points out the growing
need for the appointment of a third full-time dentist, a matter
which will shortly have to receive consideration. The success
of school dental work is dependent on the annual inspection of
all the children, followed by immediate treatment, as only in this
way can serious dental decay be prevented. Mr. Colenso reports
as follows :—
"School Dental Inspection and Treatment.
" The general increase in the number of school children has
naturally resulted in a greatly increased number of children being
presented for dental inspection, with a resultant increase in the
number of children requiring treatment. A large number of the
newcomers to the district are found with their teeth in a very bad
condition and these cases need a large amount of treatment.