TEETH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 October 1911, Page 7

TEETH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

J AN INVERCARGILL MOVEMENT. I INVERCARCILL,;' October 12. I Some time ago the Invereargill .Dentists' Association approached the j Charitable Aid Board with a view to 1 having a room fitted up at the hospital | where members of the honorary staff |of dental surgeons might be able to carry out the special duties in respect ■of the Board's patients. Accomodation i of any kind is at a, premium at Southi land Hospital, hut Dr. Barclay was \ aide to mako arrangements whereby |.", small room would he available for j the use of the visiting dentists. This i the Board undertook to fit up with such 'accessories as the Dentists' Association I suggested. ; Theiipea of the Board was merely to supply a convenience 'that would enable members of the*.honorary dental staff to undertake the urgent requirements of indigent patients. The dentists, however, regard the care of the rtpeth from, a much ! wider point of view, and desire to j arouse public-interest in tins important subject. Tl]»j position taken up by the Association was indicated in a letter received at to-day's meeting of the Board. The,'President of the Dentists' Association wrote that two of their members had examined the room set apart for them in the hospital, and had , decided that if equipped it would be I suitable enough for present require*I incuts.. At the: same time they wished to point, out that it was not their injtention to extract teeth unless absolutely necessary, their aim being the i preservation rather than the distrncj tion of the teeth. They would examine all mouths and advise thereon, and give relief in eases of pain. It was their : intention to attend at the hospital !every!.morning for one hour between 9 and 10. It would bo neeessary to have a nurse in attendance. The cost of the equipment would not exceed £SO. The Association suggested that the health of the children of the district was to bo maintained, it was absolutely necessary that their teeth bo attended to, because at the present time (as everyone knows) the condition of the children's mouths was deplorable. The chairman of the Board (Mr A. F. Hawke) explained that the scheme outlined above was not what the Board had thought the Dentists' Association had in mind. The Board had thought that the idea was to treat only charitable aid cases at the hospital, '['here was no room for the bigger scheme,; though ho was strongly in favour of something of the sort. He thought that the Education Board and Charitable Aid Board might between them be able to make, some practicable arrangement and carry it through successfully. It was agreed to make arrangements for the Board's own patients to be located at the hospital, and to approach the Education Board with a view to coqperation in some practicable scheme for a general inspection of school children's teeth.