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indication may be given in subsequent years of the average extent of the defects noted
at ages 2, 3 and 4 which may itself vary within considerable limits and disguise
improvements or otherwise in the total dental conditions of children under school
age.
Mention may perhaps be made of the high percentage of children showing
malocclusion, a failure of proper alignment of the jaws and teeth resulting, in a
majority of cases, from thumb-sucking or persistent use of the comforter, on which
comment was made in connection with the enquiry into nervous habits in last year's
report. The disability in this case is not only nervous—though important enough in
that respect—but functional and aesthetic, and dentists teach us that poor alignment
and irregularities in the end also conduce to caries. Ten per cent of the children
showed this defect, which lends itself to corrective so-called " orthodontic " treatment
in most cases as the result of an obvious bad habit. Of the 10 per cent more than
double the cases showed themselves in girls— a finding on which it is perhaps difficult
to offer first comment.
The subjects adopted for particular enquiry this year were clinical—anaemia,
heart conditions and rheumatism, and the results of the enquiry appear as Appendix
II.
Provision of Maternity Outfits.— In 1930 the Council agreed to supply
sterilised maternity outfits for the use of necessitous mothers in order to ensure the
necessary cleanliness in domestic midwifery and with a view to minimising the risks
of maternity. They are supplied free, half cost, or cost price, according to the
family income, the Council's economic scales being used as tests of necessity. During
the year 78 applications were received; 77 were supplied— 40 free, 6 at half cost
and 31 at cost price.
Compensation of Midwives.— Whenever an assistant medical officer finds it
necessary to recommend hospital treatment for expectant mothers referred to the
Council's ante-natal clinics for ante-natal examination by midwives, the midwife loses
her patient if the mother accepts the advice of the medical officer and is admitted
to hospital. In these cases the Council make a payment of 10s. by way of compensation
to the midwife subject to certain conditions, which are referred to in detail in
my Annual Report for 1931, being complied with. During the year compensation was
paid in 13 instances.
Administration of the Public Health (Puerperal Fever and Puerperal
Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926. The Council's scheme under these regulations was
fully described in the Annual Report for 1928. The extent to which they were made
use of is reported on fully in that part of the Infectious Disease Section of the report
which deals with the notification of these diseases.
Obstetric Complications in Private Practice.— In September, 1931, the
Council arranged for the services of Mr. Harold Taylor, F.R.C.S., the Council's
Consultant under the Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations, to be
available in such exceptional cases, and to pay him a fee of £5 Ss. Od. for each such
case. Two cases were dealt with under this scheme during the year.