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Mr. Heywood reports—
The most outstanding feature of the work carried out at
Balaam Street during 1933 was the introduction into the routine
of school examinations of a short preliminary talk on the subject
of dead teeth, Oral Sepsis and their sequelae. The effects were
varied and surprising. Not naturally, in the junior schools the
response showed so little improvement that the experiment was
not continued. In the senior schools however, the percentage of
refusals, while they varied as ever according to areas, showed
without exception a heavy decrease, many of the children actually
persuading distrustful parents to consent to their treatment.
The consequent introduction of no small number of previously
untreated cases, mostly in an advanced stage of Oral Sepsis, has
caused the high number of extractions and the low number of
fillings for the year, and on reflection it will be seen that this is,
at present, a most desirable state of affairs.
Miss Marsden reports—
Annual Routine Inspections were made during the year 1933,
of all the Schools allotted to this Clinic and appointments given
to the children requiring treatment.
The attendance was fairly uniform, but owing to lack of
parental control or inertia, still does not increase as rapidly
as we would wish. The unfortunate tendency of children to
put off visiting the Clinic, until they have severe toothache, leads
to a great number of Specials. This would not occur so much
it the children attended more regularly, when given appointments
at the time their School was inspected.
The objection to conservative treatment still continues. There
does, however, seem some hope of overcoming this eventually, as
in the Schools where hygiene lessons are given, the number of
children attending for fillings has greatly increased, owing to the
enthusiasm of the teachers. This is most encouraging.
I should like to thank all Head Teachers, who have helped
me greatly during inspection and in encouraging the children to
keep their appointments at the Clinic.
(h) ORTHOPAEDIC AND POSTURAL DEFECTS.
All cases found to require treatment are advised to go to
Hospital. The Authority have an arrangement with a local
Children's Hospital for Orthopaedic In-Patient and Out-Patient
treatment, and undertake financial responsibility for all such cases
sent there. The Committee also from time to time maintain
special cases at Orthopaedic Hospital Schools approved by the
Board.
Any children found with minor Postural defect are noted on
the Special Confidential list left with Head Teachers. Recommendations
regarding any definite exercises and forms of drill are
given according to the nature of the defect.
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