[Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Bexhill U.D.C. Borough.
- Bexhill (England). Urban District Council.
- Date:
- 1913
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Bexhill U.D.C. Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![During the year I have attended the Dental Clinic on Satur- day mornings and given gas on 107 occasions. I have to thank the Head Teachers for putting all possible facilities at my disposal and clearing a class room for inspection, often at great inconvenience. The children selected for inspection were : (a ) on entry ; ( b ) at about the age of nine; and (c) at 13 years of age. It is proposed in future to alter the last to 12 years of age, so as to give fuller opportunities for following up before leaving school. The parents were present in 280 cases or 54 per cent. I have to acknowledge the kind assistance of the Care Com- mittee and their Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer in following up and securing treatment for cases brought to their notice. The report of their valuable work will be found ^pended. Tuberculosis.— I'he cases of tendency to tuberculosis or pretubercular trouble shewn by impaired nutrition, bronchial catarrh, nocturnal perspiration, or enlarged glands, caused some anxiety as to methods of successfully dealing with them. As a rule the parents were urged to get immediate treatment, either from their own doctor or at the Hospital. The help of the Tuberculosis Dispensary for the purposes of further diagnosis was not available till the last day of the year. It is a matter of regret that the dependents on insured members are not at present eligible for treatment in Sanitoria and that such treatment must be sought for privately. Probably Bexhill at present is not itself large enough to form a unit for an open air school for those children who are threatened with, but in whom tubercle cannot be found, and a sanitorium for those in whom it is found, each branch being kept separate. It would be a great advantage if in conjunction with adjoining authorities and helped by the grant in aid, such a unit could be formed. The establishment of the Dental Clinic should be of distinct service as a means of prevention. Assuming that tubercal rarely attacks glands primarily, but invades glands already enlarged, the possibility of the entrance of bovine tubercle through milk via carious teeth, should be greatly diminished. Further, the prevention of septic absorption from dental caries must prove a gain. The Mental Deficiency Act comes into force shortly to deal with mental defectives. There have been three cases which will be notified under its provisions. Between the child of normal intelligence and the defective there are two groups, namely : the dull or backward child, and such of the feeble minded as are capable of receiving instruction in a special class ; such children who are simply backward from past illness and have a chance of catching up the others, must be eliminated. To keep these groups in a class of normal children is not fair to either, or to the teachers. It would be better to arrange for a special class which might be held experimentally at the Down’s School, in which increased individual attention might become practicable together with more time given to hard work. En(]uirjes](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28921458_0048.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
