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74
as described in previous reports. Of the total number of
children who were offered an opportunity of gaining a School
Leaving Certificate of Dental Fitness during the year, 75 per
cent. accepted and obtained certificates.
The most gratifying feature of the year's work is a further
reduction in the number of refusal cases to under 20 per cent.,
which is the lowest figure recorded in the history of the Service.
At Ealing Road Junior Mixed School there were no refusals of
treatment, this being the first time that a 100 per cent.
acceptance has been obtained in any school in the district.
These results are due to the unfailing enthusiasm and hard
work of the teachers, to whom the Dental Service owes a great
debt of gratitude.
The After-Care Dental Scheme, which is now in its third
year of existence, continues to function smoothly thanks to the
loyal and generous co-operation of the practitioners taking part
and the Head Teachers and staffs of the Senior Schools.
Unfortunately, however, the scheme does not appear to arouse
a similar enthusiasm in those it is destined to benefit, as
evidenced by the comparatively small number of patients who
take advantage of it. Of the 558 children who received
certificates enabling them to join the scheme, only 74 or 13 per
cent actually joined. The chief cause of this small number of
enrolments appears on investigation to be chronic parental
indifference which in turn infects the child directly after
removal from the steadying influence of school-life.
(i) Orthopaedics: The following table of crippled children
attending the schools was completed with the aid of the Head
Teachers:—
Brentford Senior Boys'.
1. Boy aged 12 years Congenital absence of upper
extremities.
Brentford Senior Girls'.
2. Girl aged 13 years Tuberculous knee (quiescent).
Canal Boat Department.
3. Boy aged 9 years General Atonia.
4. Boy aged 7 years Infantile Paralysis.
Central Schools.
5. Girl aged 14 years Infantile Paralysis.