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I am well aware of the efforts you are making for us in that direction,
and I would like to take this opportunity of officially expressing my appreciation
of your sympathetic understanding of our problems, and readiness to help us
in whatever way possible."
Orthodontic Clinic.
Herewith report on the activities of the Orthodontic treatment for
Edmonton school children.
' Since reporting at the end of 1946, Orthodontic treatment for the
school children of the Borough has been carried out by the three dental officers
with the assistance of the specialist.
During this year the specialist has attended each of the three clinics
once each month, which has meant that not only has it been possible for
more children to come under treatment, but it has been possible to devote
) more time to the consideration of each problem. This has meant an increase
in the number of children under treatment and must have thrown a heavier
burden on the dental officers, as more appliances have required to be watched.
As in the past these officers have shown great interest in the work and credit
for any results obtained is due to them.
The mechanical work has been carried out with patience and skill by
Mr. Gittus, who also has been invaluable on clinic mornings, shepherding the
children around, so that the minimum of time is lost between each patient.
It is difficult to assess the results obtained as there is no reliable yard'
stick, but it is true to say, that in many cases considerable improvement has
been effected and that in some cases pleasing aesthetic results can be shown.
The only difficulty that has been encountered through the year is the
problem of the broken appointment. Patients have a way of slipping through
the net of the system of recall as it stands at present. It is realized that the
problem of keeping track of each of these children is a great burden to the
assistants, and that in any event the parents should feel a responsibility to
see that the children attend, but experience shows that quite a large number
of them do not. That the breaking of appointments is unavoidable on
occasions is realized, but it is possible that the system of recall when this
happens might be studied to see if anything could be done to tighten it up
and avoid having to start cases a second time with the inevitable expense and
waste of time that this involves.
On the whole it has been a good year, and I hope these details will
give you some idea of how we have fared.''
(h) Orthopaedic and Postural Defects.
Orthopaedic Defects, were, as in previous years, treated at the Special
Clinic held at the Central Hall, Fore Street, N.9.
The following report has been submitted by the Orthopaedic
Specialist:—
" Examining the returns of the orthopaedic clinics, it is noted that flat
feet, knock knee, and postural spinal deformities composed the major part
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