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Anesthetics.
General anaesthesia with nitrous oxide and oxygen special mixture, using the Walton and Magill
apparatus, was administered to 3,777 patients during 181 sessions. An average of 20.8 cases per
session.
The number of local anaesthetics continues to decrease, and during the year 319 cases were so
treated as compared with 498 in 1934.
Elementary, Nursery and Special Schools.
Owing to the inclusion of 2,277 secondary school pupils, to the scheme of annual inspection
and treatment, together with the increasing demands of maternity and child welfare, the time allotted
to the above elementary school children has had to be curtailed.
Inspection.
Routine.—321 visits were made by the dental officers to the schools, 16,450 children were
inspected, an average of 52 per session. As the total population of these schools is 20,677, it will
be noticed that some 4,000 children have missed their routine inspection. Some, of course, on account
of absence, but the majority due to the curtailment of the service as mentioned above.
Complete recording of all dental defects found was carried out at the time of the inspection.
Pamphlets were issued to all scholars and defective teeth notices to those needing attention. Parents
seeking advice attended in large numbers, on occasion as many as 50 per cent. of the invitations
issued. While this saves much subsequent home visitation, it occupies so much of the dental officer's
time, that an increase in the average number inspected is impossible. Indeed, the explanation
necessary for those seeking treatment at the centres and the assistance to parents completing application
forms consumes, by no means, a neglible amount of time.
Special Cases.—1,344 special cases were inspected at the centres. These are chiefly children
with acute pain, who have omitted to take the advice given them at routine inspection. These cases
are dealt with during the ordinary sessions, and no special time is set apart for them.
Treatment.
3,958 received their treatment at the centres, and recorded 11,536 attendances. The work
included 5,843 fillings on permanent teeth and 1,128 on temporary teeth, making a total of 6,971.
Teeth extracted amounted to 9,050, of which 1,402 were permanent teeth. General anaesthesia
was the method of choice in the removal of these teeth, and was administered on 2,699 occasions,
compared with local on 139.
Sundry operations, including root fillings, acolite inlays, as well as the usual dressings to gums
and teeth numbered 3,710.
There is no detailed record of the type of fillings done, but the great bulk were silver tin amalgam
lined, where necessary, with cement.
The total number of treatment sessions amounted to 966, and the average work (done per
session by each dental officer is indicated below.