THE TEETH OF THE POOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 167, 14 July 1908, Page 5

THE TEETH OF THE POOR.

i The Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was waited upon yesterday by a [ deputation from the Dental Association ! with regard to the care of the teeth of • the poor of Auckland. Messrs. J. .Nori man Rishworth (chairman of the associa- : tion), A. M. Carter, and C. F. Bennett • formed the deputation. 1 Mr. Rishworth stated that their busi- . ness concerned the proposal to erect a I dental hospital in Auckland. The mat- : ter had been before the Board before, ; but the Board might now be able to rei gard the plan more generously. As to i the urgency of such an institution, the i fact that it had been estimated that , ninety per cent of New Zealand children i were subject to caries of tho tcotli might i appeal to the Board. To the dentists it • seemed anomalous, and the reason was i beyond their comprehension, that while > the Board had an elaborate hospital for ; all other ailments, it should not have a i hospital for the universal ailment. With the infants of to-day, their first teeth were hardly through when decay ensued. This also occurred in more advanced childhood. Eating was hindered, digestion impaired, and when the age of thirty years was reached, there was, instead of a robust, healthy man, a dispeptic in- ' dividual who could not be assessed as a credit to the State. From a ratepayer's standpoint the Board would save money. The association would get a child and • attend to its teeth, and then it would not be sent up to the hospital a poor, starved little mortal. So the Board would be simply taking money out of one pocket and putting it into another. ' Mr. Bennett said that in a few years the institution would be self-supporting. It was almost appalling to see patients ' coming in to have front teeth out, whereas dental attention might obviate > this. • Mr. Cafter said that none but a don- ' ti3t could appreciate the appalling ravages of dental disease. The association was not asking when not prepared to ! give. The proposed dental hospital would 1 mean a loss of £1,000 a year to tho dentists of tho City. Mr. Sturgcs moved that the matter should be referred to the Finance Committee, and Messrs. Rutherford and the • mover to report to next meeting of the Board. Mr. Bagnall seconded, and sympnthis- ? Ed with the request. t Mr. E. DaVic's moved as an amend--3 ment that the matter should be considered by the Board as a committee, the Dental Association to nominate a committee to meet the Board. The Chairman said that he had always held that to have strong men and c women they must see that they had y good teeth. The young should have the i opportunity to conserve their teeth til) r old age. ;'. Tho motion >vaa carried by six votes to four.