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Dental Defects.—It will be seen from Table IV, Group V, page 47,
that of 18,863 children inspected by the dentists, 13,013, or approximately
70 per cent., required treatment, and of those requiring it about
45 per cent., only, availed themselves of the treatment offered. In the
matter of acceptances this cannot be regarded as satisfactory. Nevertheless,.
there has been a considerable reduction in the number of extractions
and an increase in the number of fillings and other conservative
measures.
Orthopaedic and Postural Defects.—Miss Moore, the remedial drill
instructress, retired from the Committee's service on October 31st, 1934.
At the end of the year her place had not been filled. During the interregnum
the teachers are continuing to exercise the children under the
supervision of one of the school doctors. The opportunity is being taken
to revise the whole school system of orthopaedic treatment and remedial
instruction.
There is nothing of special note either in regard to the number or
kind of deformities recorded.
Heart Disease and Rheumatism.—There has been a reduction in the
number of children found to be suffering from organic heart disease,
viz., 58 in 1933, 44 in 1934; and the number of functional heart disorders
have been halved. Rheumatism and heart diseases depend upon so many
known and unknown factors, mostly intangible, that it must not be
assumed that all the credit for these welcome reductions are due to the
School Medical Services. Credit may be taken justly for the placing
suitably of all early and doubtful cases coming to the knowledge of the
department.
Tuberculosis.—Tuberculosis of the lungs is such a disabling disease
that one may be surprised that amongst school children so many as 11
should be found to be definitely afflicted with it and 16 more as being suspected
to be sufferers. The same observation applies to tuberculosis of
hip and spine, of which types 4 were noted. Yet so it is—the explanation
probably being that the early stages are so insidious and the inspections
were sufficiently thorough.
FOLLOWING-UP.
Review of the arrangements for the following-up of children suffering
from physical defects, including a summary of the work undertaken by School
Nurses:—