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the age of six or seven much can be done. At ten or twelve improvement
is much slower, and interference with education in a bad case would make
this impracticable.
"The infant welfare centres have been valuable in sending children
under school age who have developed a squint, but the ideal method
would be to forestall cases of squint by recognising gross errors of refraction
at an age before the squint has developed. Even apart from squint,
cases of anisometropia and high astigmatism would benefit, as the earlier
such cases are enabled to have a distinct image on the retinae, the better
the visual acuity will be in later years.
' 'Since the establishment of 'toddler' clinics a number of early cases
are being referred to the eye clinic."
Dental Defects.—Some 3,500 more children were inspected than in
1937, and the number actually treated was higher. Thus, it is gratifying
to find that the percentage of acceptances of treatment has risen by
nearly 5 per cent, to 51.2 per cent.
I am indebted to Mr. V. Sainty, L.D.S., for the following observations
on the work of the Department during the year:—
"The year has seen an extension of the scope of the dental services
and the inauguration of a scheme which it is anticipated will bring about
an increase in the number of parents who will avail themselves of the
treatment offered annually to their children.
"With the appointment of a third dental surgeon at the end of the
year, expectant and nursing mothers can now receive the benefits of
comprehensive dental treatment, including the furnishing of dentures,
where necessary; babies attending the welfare centres and pre-school
toddlers are also included in the scheme, thus children can now receive
regular dental attention throughout the whole of their pre-school and
school life.
"The appointment of another dental surgeon has also made it possible
to make a determined effort to increase the number of 'acceptances' of
treatment; the notices sent to parents after a dental inspection now
include a note strongly urging them to accept the offer of treatment and