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88
A few figures have been worked out which seem to show
that this service is greatly needed and is indeed long overdue.
Admittedly the figures are not yet great but they would appear
to be large enough to be significant.
Defects Needing Treatment.
Independent schools. Maintained schools.
Vision 9.58% 3.75%
Nose and Throat 5.89% 1.19%
From the above table it would appear to be fairly clear that
children who have had the advantage, over the years, of regular
medical inspection at school shew a much smaller incidence of
two of the most common defects. This does not by any means
imply either criticism of, or lack of interest by the parents of
children attending other than maintained schools, but it does
imply that without routine periodic medical examination many
minor defects would remain undiscovered and untreated. Such
defects if detected early can be corrected easily, but if allowed
to continue unchecked, may eventually give rise to major
disabilities.
The following comparative figures indicate that the general
physical state of the children attending private schools is of a
higher standard than those attending maintained schools. These
figures do not allow for the varying idea of the professional
examiners as to the correct category of borderline cases, but the
figures can be taken as substantially correct.
Independent schools. Maintained schools.
Category A 84.9% 68.35%
Category B 15.1% 30.17%
Category C — 1.48%
It would appear that the time and effort put into this newventure
have been more than justified and I hope by next year
sufficient data will have been collected to prove beyond any
shadow of doubt, that this work is supplying an efficient and very
necessary service.
During 1950, Mr. Mayo, Dental Officer, who had given us
admirable service, left the service for the more remunerative
private practice, so leaving Mr. King assisted by Mr. Edey at
three sessions a week, to carry the task of a dental service for
some 7,000 school children and for those nursing and expectant
mothers requiring urgent dental treatment.
As a result of a visit of inspection and the advice of Dr. A. T.
Wynne, Dental Officer to the Ministry of Education, the system
of dealing mainly with emergency treatments was changed at
this year's end, and routine inspection extended at the schools