View report page

6
At Clinic 2 there is no suitable accommodation for a mothercraft class or nursery. The two
small rooms on the second floor used for this purpose form the dental waiting and recovery rooms
and are available only when the dentist is out at a school.
During the school terms three sessions have been held weekly. At each session instruction
in needlework and a "Health Talk" are given. The mothers are shown suitable patterns and
materials for children and given help in cutting out and re-making clothing. Certain cotton materials,
flannel and wools are sold.
In connection with the "Health Talks" it has been encouraging to note the interest aroused
in the mothers as shown by the questions asked and subjects named for future talks.
The Medical Inspection Centre at Lower Place has formed a place for experiment as to the
advisability of establishing a mothercraft centre there. It consists of a medium-sized room used
for the mothers and the entrance lobby for the children and prams. One session per week on the
same lines as at Clinic 2 has been held.
The number of mothers and children attending has outgrown the space available and justifies
the provision of suitable premises for teaching hygiene and the chief subjects of mothercraft, with
nursery and pram accommodation for the children of the mothers attending.
The mothers have asked for more than one session per week and appear keenly interested
in the talks.
PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Medical Inspection.—Article 58(b) of the Code of Regulations for Public Elementary Schools
requires annually the medical inspection of the following groups of children :—
(1) All children admitted to the schools.
(2) All children between 8 and 9 years of age; and
(3) All children between 12 and 13 years of age, together with children over 13 years of
age who have not been examined on reaching the age of 12.
During 1924 the routine examination of the 3 Code groups has been carried out. 7,336
children were examined, 1,519 being "Entrants," 2,038 "Intermediates," and 3,779 "Leavers,"
and as a result 2,776 medical defects were referred for treatment, and 441 to be kept under observation.
Medical Treatment.—During the year 1924 school children were followed up by the Health
Department on account of 17,727 medical defects and 10,416 dental defects. Of those defects found
to require treatment, medical or dental treatment was obtained for 9,311 and domestic treatment
was obtained for 7,007. 89.7 per cent. of the medical defects were treated, 48.2 per cent. receiving
medical treatment and 41.5 per cent. domestic treatment; 11 per cent, of the dental defects followed
up were treated. No record is available of defects requiring treatment which were not followed up.
Of the total medical defects treated 80 per cent., and of the total dental defects 77 per cent., were
dealt with by the Education Committee. The remainder, or 20 per cent. of the medical defects, and
23 per cent, of the dental defects treated were dealt with by private practitioners, voluntary hospitals,
or other charitable institutions, or the Poor Law. In connection with the defects treated, the children
concerned made 37,305 attendances at the School Clinics in 1923, as compared with 43,980 in the
previous vear.