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result. Firstly, some of the affections, such as cerumen (wax) are
so slight that parents do not deem it necessary to call in the family
doctor, and the other conditions, such as otorrhoea, are usually of
a very chronic nature, and therefore expensive for prolonged
private treatment.
The Clinic has a special value in these cases in this respect;
the sooner ear discharges are attended to, the more easily are
they responsive to treatment, whereas a long-neglected otorrhoea
is equally prolonged in its treatment. A large amount of deafness is
due to the presence of adenoids, and finds its remedy in the
operative treatment of that condition. Minor ear defects to the
number of 952 were treated at the Clinic, and 48 were treated
privately.
Table IV., Group I., gives the relative amount of treatment
undertaken at the Clinics and privately.
(h) DENTAL DEFECTS.
The dental defects, such as septic teeth, found at routine and
special Medical Inspections in the Schools are referred to the
School Dentists if falling within the scope of the Authority's
Dental Scheme, otherwise, with the exception of a few special
cases of any age treated by the Authority, they are referred for
private or Hospital treatment.
The scheme approved by the Board comprises the 6-8 years'
period, togtther with a few special cases of an urgent nature at
other ages. Under the latter head, figure all prospective candidates
for the Open Air Schools, for, as mentioned in my previous
reports, these cases were found not to do so well or improve so
rapidly as their colleagues, as long as their mouths were in a septic
condition. There are four Dental Clinics—two at Stratford, one
at Swanscombe St., and one at Rosetta Rd. Miss Shirley Glasstone,
the last appointed Dental Surgeon, commenced work in October at
Rosetta Rd. Clinic, and on the suggestion of the Board's Medical
Inspector, a small area of schools was allotted to her for complete
Dental Inspection and Treatment, i.e. relating to children of
all ages as contrasting with the original Dental Scheme as sanctioned
by the Board. Under the Scheme some 14,326 children
were inspected, together with 3,537 "specials." Of these, 7,228
were found to require treatment, and 7,213 were actually treated.
The following remarks and comments are abstracted from the
individual reports of the Dental Surgeons :—
Mr. Percy writes:—
After a somewhat lengthy period of inspection and treatment,
it has become evident that certain alterations should be
considered in the present Dental Scheme, if we are to do
justice in every way. At the ages of 5, 6, and 7 there is a
great deal of dental decay in the temporary teeth, which could
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