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already resulted in many districts in England and Wales
where "dental cliniques" have been established. No
special accommodation is required, and the cost of dental
equipment, that is, dental chair, fittings, and instruments,
need only come to about £30. In the majority of cliniques
a part-time dentist is appointed for so many half days per
week, or is paid per case.
External Eye Defects.—276 children showed external
eye defects, such as conjunctivitis and chronic blepharitis,
the latter mostly the result of neglected eye complications
with measles. Notices were sent in 22 instances, advising
the parents to seek further treatment, and in the majority of
instances this was done.
Ears.—470 children, 13 per cent. of those examined,
were found on inspection to be suffering, or to have recently
suffered, from Middle Ear Disease, and to have the external
auditary meatus closed by a waxy secretion. In 102 cases
where the ear discharge was profuse or offensive, or where
both ears were closed by wax, notices were sent to the
parents advising them to seek further advice and treatment.
Heart and Anæmia.—Out of the 3,653 children
examined, 572, or 15.66 per cent., showed some abnormality
of the heart or circulation. About half of this number were
cases of anæmia. In many cases, no doubt, the heart defect
is compensated, and no symptoms are therefore complained
of by the child. In others, however, the disease is such as
to cause more or less serious symptoms. In 40 of the most
serious cases notices were sent to parents to seek further
advice, and in the majority of cases this was done. In many
cases parents were not aware of the existence of any heart
defect, for the symptoms, even when complained of by the
child, are often ascribed to other causes, such as debility,
anaemia, gastritis, etc., which, indeed, are frequently produced
by the heart disease itself.