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12
In addition to the 23 cases of middle ear suppuration
found at routine inspection, 65 cases were sent direct to the
Clinic for treatment; in all, therefore, 88 cases of suppurative
ear discharge were met with. By the assistance of the
teachers and as a result of some propagandism, there would
appear to be an increasing tendency on the part of parents
to treat ear discharge more seriously and to take advantage
of the facilities for treatment which are offered.
(h) Dental defects.
Of the children examined by the School Dentist, below
the ages of 6 and 9 years, 85% were found to have dental
defects sufficiently marked to require the services of a
dentist.
It is, however, very gratifying to find at the medical
inspection of the older children, from 8 to 12 years, an
increasing number of children who have healthy mouths as
the result of previous treatment by the School Dentist.
As would be expected, this is most noticeable in the
children between 8 and 9 years, the good results having
worn off to a considerable extent by the age of 12 years. It
has not been found possible, up to the present, to find
sufficient time for the School Dentist to re-examine and
treat at a later age those children already treated by him
between 6 and 8.
Even with the present restricted opportunities for
treatment, the improvement is quite noticeable, and its
value cannot be overstated.
(i) Crippling defects.
The usual causes of crippling defect are infantile
paralysis (poliomyelitis), tubercular disease, and accident
or congenital defect. The number of children of school
age in the district who are crippled to a varying extent
from these causes are as follows:—