View report page

Again, the child who has been penalised by a parental deformity handed on should not
be penalised in the matter of payment by reason that it is afflicted in a more serious manner than
its neighbours.
In doing this pioneer work there is only one warning I wish to give and that I give in the
most solemn manner, there must be for a time in a dental clinic like this which is trying to educate
the country, and believe me it is doing this, the necessity to curb the enthusiasm which would deal
with every minor departure from the normal, in the same way that in the early days of medical
inspection we had to start in a quiet way and educate the public to the necessity of remedying
certain defects and breed the confidence which enabled us to progress in the years that followed;
so for many years to come until the country has got orthodontically minded I feel it would be
a mistake to tackle every minor deformity. The principles guiding the orthodontic work must
be (i) is the deformity such as interferes with the mouth as a masticating machine and (ii) is
the deformity such as to disfigure the individual and create an inferiority complex which will
spoil his life?
I am certain that if we are not careful to observe discretion in this matter we shall find
limitation or even embargo put upon the work by reason of the expenditure which ratepayers
have to face. Until they are sufficiently educated to the need for these matters it behoves us to
walk warily like our friend Agag. It is very difficult to curb enthusiasm but there are times
when it is politic so to do.
I have received the following report from the Supervisory Dental Surgeon :—
THE ANNUAL REPORT, OF 1937, OF THE SUPERVISORY DENTAL OFFICER.
" Come my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world."
Shakespeare.
To the School Medical Officer.
Submitting Annual Reports to you, prior to this one, has been a duty of routine; this
one has a special value, all its own, where I cannot be unmindful that the wheels of Time have
run their allotted duration, and 'ere another Report is due, must be rewound.
It is said Sheep are quite right to let the Old Shepherd shear them, a new one might take
his place and treat them worse; we as a Staff must go into practice to cultivate the wisdom of
experience, and also the wisdom of Hope, when our last goodbyes are spoken.
Commencing the Summary of 1937 work, 1 keep before my mind's eye, the injunction : —
" Tell it well, or say nothing."
A good standard to guide us—-have we taken out of Life more than we put in; by analogy
let us apply this to our Clinics.
The answer is exultantly " No," for all we have taken as labourers worthy of our hire, we
have repaid tenfold.
We as a Staff realise it is not the hours we put in that count—it is what we put in the
hours.
In this Report, one is at a disadvantage compared with back years, viz : " The Health of
the School Child " used to give us much which we could pit against our results; under the new
regime, such helpful aids are omitted. The next paragraph may perchance answer this moan of
mine.
The present verdict on the value of statistics, such as are presented in this Report, can be
taken from p.116 " The Health of the School Child, 1935," as stated by Sir Arthur S. MacNalty,
Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education : "In so far as these School Dental Statistics
are of any value for comparative purposes, the output of fillings, extractions, and other
operations, are the only part of the return which merit such consideration." So be it! This
standard, is by your Staff accepted without fear of any comparison.
26