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99
Under the Education Committee's scheme 499 pairs of spectacles
were provided. Of this number, 22 pairs of spectacles were
provided free and 4 pairs at a reduced charge, on necessitous
grounds. In addition, spectacles were renewed or repaired in 115
cases.
All spectacles are now provided by the Education Committee,
the cost being recovered from the parents whenever
possible. The Council's opticians continue to supply spectacles
at as moderate a charge as possible.
The appreciation of the work of the Oculist by the parents is
shown by the fact that 93 per cent. of the defects of vision
detected in 1923 were remedied by the Council Oculist.
(c) Dental Department.—The Dentist has given the whole
of his time to School Medical work, with the exception of one
morning weekly to Maternity and Child Welfare work, and one
afternoon every alternate week to the treatment of Tubenculosis
cases.
During the year the Dentist paid 77 visits to the schools for
the purpose of inspecting the teeth of children.
All children between the ages of 5 and 14 years have been
examined at the schools by the School Dentist. Notice is sen
to the parents when their children are found to require treatment.
The extent to which dental disease is prevalent among
school children is shown by the fact that of 6,241 children inspected
by the Dentist, 4,013, or 64 per cent., were found to
require treatment.
Only 53.3 per cent. of these actually accepted treatment. If
all the cases accepted treatment it would be impossible for one
dentist to carry out the work.
Full details of the dental work can be seen in Table IV.,
Group IV., on page 123.