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146
portance of dental hygiene and treatment, yet only 41.9 per cent.
(44.8 per cent. in 1936) of the children found to be suffering from
dental disease were presented for treatment at the School Dental
Clinics, and Medical Inspection reveals that very few parents
arrange private dental treatment for their children.
It is difficult to understand the attitude of parents in regard
to a matter of such great importance when due consideration is
given to the harmful effect of unhygienic and septic conditions of
the mouth upon general health and nutrition. Apart from the
interference with digestion resulting from faulty mastication, it is
obvious that the mouth provides access for infection associated
with many serious diseases.
(i) Crippling Defects.
Reference to Table III will furnish information with regard
to the occurrence of crippling defects in the area. Thirty-eight
cases suffered from a degree of crippling sufficiently severe to
interfere materially with the child's normal mode of life.
(k) Nutrition.
Children found at the routine medical inspection to be suffering
from malnutrition, in any degree, numbered 178, or approximately
3.0 per cent. of the children inspected. (See Table II B.)
These scholars have been kept under periodical supervision,
and treatment has been afforded by the provision of school meals,
milk, medicinal foods, advice in regard to diet, or admission to
Convalescent Homes or Schools of Recovery. The Public Assistance
Committee and the Unemployment Assistance Board have
rendered valuable help in providing additional nourishment in
many of these cases.
6. INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
A detailed account of the scheme adopted for the detection
and prevention of infectious diseases has been submitted in
previous reports, and the accompanying table furnishes statistics
in regard to the incidence of the acute infectious diseases during
the year 1937.