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to the utmost as well as reducing the number of visits that
each pupil is required to make, which in its turn is an economy
of school time. The co-operation of the Headmasters
concerned is very stimulating.
The time spent in inspecting and treating the children
of secondary schools has of course entailed a serious curtailment
in similar activities in the elementary schools. This
would be a matter of grave apprehension were it not for the
fact that your Committee has seen fit to appoint a part-time
dental officer to make good this deficiency. Indeed, bv the
time this report is in your hands the newly appointed dental
officer will be installed and devoting four sessions per week
to the inspection and treatment of school children. Then,
this temporary lapse over and the leeway recovered, Finchley
will again be in the satisfactory position of having a
school dental service adequate to its demands, as well as
giving the additional advantage of an extended range of service.
Grateful acknowledgements are due to the Dental Board
for the services of their able demonstrator, Mrs. Turnbull,
who attended the elementary schools in Finchley to instruct
children on the care of their teeth. The visit cannot be other
than beneficial, but unfortunately the visit was too late in
the year to enable comparative figures to be made.
Anaesthetics.
General anaesthetics are administered by a School
Medical Officer who attends for that purpose at speciai
sessions. No extractions of any kind are performed without
the use of either a general or local anaesthetic.
The details of the year's work are set out below and on
pages 15, 35 and 36.
At the routine inspections 1,416 children were inspected,
and 1,146, or 80.93% were found to require treatment. Of
the 1,146 who required treatment, 677 or 59.8% actually rereceived
treatment at the Dental Clinic. In addition to this
number 136 routine cases were treated which were held over
from the previous year's inspection. As a certain number
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