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A report by Mr. H. C. Middleton, L.D.S., R.C.S. (Edin.), the
Council's Dental Surgeon, is given here:—
Dental Clinic.
The chief item of interest in the dental work during the year was the
installation of a modern surgery, waiting room and recovery room at the new
Richmond Road Centre. An up-to-date anaesthetic apparatus for gas and
oxygen has proved of great service in reducing the anxiety of administering
anaesthetics to nursing and expectant mothers, and infants under five years
of age.
The work done for the mothers produces the best results. The removal
of septic teeth and replacement by dentures shows an immediate improvement
in general health. The problem of caries in infants' teeth still remains.
In spite of ante-natal care and advice in infant feeding and nutrition, a
large proportion of infants have carious or poorly calcified teeth. Various
methods of making up this calcium deficiency have been tried, but after many
years' experience in this class of preventive medicine I am convinced that the
logical method of tackling the problem lies in fresh air, healthy housing,
intelligent cooking and feeding. This, in turn, becomes a social problem of
adequate wages to buy wholesome food.
Children under School Age.—Arising out of consideration of
Ministry of Health Circular 1550, issued in May, 1936, four additional
health visitors were appointed during 1937 to enable home
visiting to those children between the ages of 1 and 5 years to be
carried out more frequently than had hitherto been possible, and
to enable toddlers' clinics to be commenced at the Richmond Road
Centre. These clinics may also be instituted at the Lower Clapton
Road and Northwold Road Centres if thought to be desirable after
experience has been gained at the Richmond Road Centre.
It is estimated that there are nearly 15,000 children in Hackney
under the age of five years, 2,242 of whom are in voluntary
attendance at school.