London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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46
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
for the
Year 1932,
on
DENTAL WORK in connection with SCHOOL CHILDREN,
EXPECTANT and NURSING MOTHERS and CHILDREN
under 5 years.
By E. A. JENNINGS, L.D.S., R.C.S.Eng.
I beg to submit herewith the Fifteenth Annual Report.
The following returns deal with the third year's working of the Council's extended scheme,
which came into operation with the opening of Health Centre 3.
Part I. is a combined report of the School Medical Service and Maternity and Child Welfare,
and represents the gross output of the four Dental Officers. Parts II. and III. treat each section
in greater detail.
PART I.
The School Medical Service and Maternity and Child Welfare.
1,119 mothers and infants and 968 school children were inspected at the Centres, and 20,957
elementary school children were subjected to routine inspection at the Schools, making a total of
23,044. 16,454 were found to be defective and advised to have treatment. Of these 6,397 received
their treatment at the Centres and recorded 18,627 attendances. The treatment included the extraction
of 17,660 teeth, 10,311 fillings and 6,473 sundry operations for the year. The Dental Officers
recorded 400 inspection sessions at the Schools, and 1,572 at the Centres for treatment, while 10
sessions were absorbed in administrative purposes. The following table is a summary of the year's
work compared with years 1930 and 1931 :—
Table No. 37.
Comparative Table of Work done for Years 1932, 1931 and 1930.
| 1932 | 1931 | 1930 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total inspected— | |||
| Mothers, Infants and School Children | 23,044 | 23,306 | 18,069 |
| Number defective | 16,454 | 16,588 | 14,924 |
| ,, treated | 6,397 | 5,718 | 4,638 |
| Teeth removed | 17,660 | 17,393 | 14,421 |
| „ fillings | 10,311 | 8,725 | 5,837 |
| Sundry operations | 6,473 | 4,513 | 1,916 |
| General anaesthetic cases | 3,919 | 3,970 | 3,037 |
| Treatment sessions | 1,572 | 1,523 | 1,347 |
| Inspection sessions | 400 | 408 | 357 |
From the above table it will be noticed that there has been a decrease in the number of
cases inspected. There were actually 522 less casual cases but an increase of 223 mothers and infants
inspected, thus making a nett decrease of 262. It is expected and hoped that the former figure will
continue to decrease to a negligible quantity, while the mothers and infants inspected will no doubt
gradually increase. The actual work done for these patients has eclipsed all previous records for the
total operations during the year amount to 34,444 against 30,631 for the year 1931. Fillings have
increased by no less than 1,586. Sundry operations by 1,960, while 267 more teeth were removed.
Incidentally, this is a very satisfactory proportionate increase in conservative work.