Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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61
Secondary School Pupils.
Inspection.— The number on roll was originally given as 2,277, but has considerably increased
during the year.
32 visits were made to the schools and 2,309 pupils were inspected, an average of 72 per visit.
A further 23 cases were seen at the Clinics, thus producing a total of 2,332 inspections.
1,619, or 69.4 per cent. of these children were found defective and given notices accordingly
advising treatment.
441, or 27.2 per cent. were treated at the local Clinics.
Complete charting of all carious teeth was done.
No pamphlets were given or anything in the nature of educational work done, other than the
advice to obtain the necessary treatment.
It was thus possible with the excellent arrangements made by the head teachers, to inspect
larger numbers than has been our custom at other schools.
Treatment.— All scholars are given the opportunity to have their treatment at the Clinics
on payment of 1s. 6d. per annum. This charge covers the complete treatment of all defects
found at each inspection.
The secondary school children have, therefore, a distinct advantage over the elementary school
children whereby parents pay the fee of 2s. 6d., or become subject to economic enquiry into the family
income.
A special feature in connection with the work of secondary school children, is the care and
promptitude with which appointments for treatment are kept by the scholars. Acknowledgments
for this are due to the head teachers and their assistants.
The 441 pupils who attended the Clinic for their treatment, made 1,391 attendances; 1,008
fillings were done; 299 teeth extracted, 255 of which were permanent teeth and 509 incidental treatments
carried out. Each patient thus averaged 2.2 fillings, .6 teeth extracted and 1.1 sundry
operations.
Table 43.—D ental Inspection and Treatment. (1). Number of children inspected by the Dentist.
Age. | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9* | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | — | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 218 | 408 | 493 | 520 | 425 | 171 | 33 | 7 | 2,309 |
23 | |||||||||||||||
(c) Total (Routine and Specials) | 2,332 | ||||||||||||||
(2) Number found to require treatment | 1,619 | ||||||||||||||
(3) Number actually treated at the Authority's Clinics | 441 | ||||||||||||||
(4) Attendances made by children for treatment | 1,391 | ||||||||||||||
(5) Half days devoted to:— | (7) Extractions:— | ||||||||||||||
Inspection | 32 | Permanent teeth | 255 | ||||||||||||
Treatment | 134 | Temporary teeth | 44 | ||||||||||||
Total | 166 | Total | 299 | ||||||||||||
(6) Fillings (see note (g)):— | (8) Administration of general anæsthetics for extractions | 154 | |||||||||||||
Permanent teeth | 996 | (9) Other operations:— | |||||||||||||
Temporary teeth | 12 | Permanent teeth | 509 | ||||||||||||
1,008 | Temporary teeth | — | |||||||||||||
509 | |||||||||||||||
* These children under ten years of age are not secondary school children but were inspected as scholars at the Convent School, Harlesden. |