4

E.—ll

Among better-class population also children suffer from insufficient leisure. Their minds are overstimulated by extra studies or amusements, and hours are spent in practising music, or poring over books, or attending the cinematograph which should be spent in healthy play outside or in sound sleep in bed. The following shows the number of times given by three classes of boys at one school as their attendance at cinematographs : — Standard VI —44 boys : 4 go twice a week, 14 go once a week, 4 go once a fortnight, rest go seldom. Standard V —64 boys: 12 go twice a week, 35 go once a week, 4 go once a fortnight, rest go seldom. Standard IV—6l. boys : I goes five times a week, 1 goes three times a week, 9 go twice a week, 32 go once a week, 6 go once a fortnight, 2 sell sweets at theatre nightly, rest go seldom. Considering this zeal it is a pity that the programme offered is not of a better type. Even where it is not obnoxious much of the drama shown is quite unsuited for children. The cure for this would be a special matinee programme for children, with non-admission to evening entertainments. It is evident from the above facts that school life receives often a small share of the physical and nervous energy of children, and that life outside school which makes such strong demands must be often more largely responsible for their bodily and mental condition. Hence measures for increasing the welfare of children must be inadequate unless they affect not only their school life, but also that greater part of their existence which is spent outside the school-walls. We would like to express our appreciation of the valuable work done by various convalescent homes for children in different parts of the Dominion. For children suffering from debility or recovering from illness such institutions give an opportunity—often otherwise unobtainable— for complete renewal of vigour. Inasmuch also as it is better to prevent illness than to cure it, widespread facilities for giving sickly children a good country holiday would save more serious trouble and would often prevent the onset of tuberculosis. Many of the tubercular children now in sanatoria would never have reached there had it been possible to get them under good treatment when the first signs of ill health were manifest but actual disease had not declared itself. Dental Cabihs. The ravages of dental caries are widespread, and the extent of this problem is distressing. It is needless to emphasize here the importance of sound teeth and clean mouths, yet it is the rarest occurrence to find a child with a perfect set of teeth. Perfect health and vigour are impossible without sound teeth, and we do not even yet begin to realize the all-important part decayed teeth play as the starting-ground for many diseases. How much of less serious ill health, loss of appetite, loss of vitality and general vigour dental decay is responsible for can hardly be imagined. It is quite easy, when one studies the possibilities for harm that lurk in a decayed tooth, to become an enthusiast and persuade oneself that all the ills that civilized flesh is heir to spring from this universal defect. Even then, of course, we have only gone one step further back, and have still to explain, if we can, why dental decay is so universal, and why it is increasing in all civilized communities. The conclusions of those who have studied the matters are that modern diet is the greatest factor in the production of dental caries. Most of our foods are now of a soft pulpy nature which cling readily to the teeth, and give little exercise to the jaws in chewing. Biscuits are particularly bad in this respect. Two generations ago the Maoris had perfect teeth. This quite refutes the favourite contention that there is something in the climate or water of New Zealand which fosters dental decay. Whilst the teeth of the Maori children are still superior in strength, regularity, and beauty, it is interesting to note that wherever the Maoris have adopted civilized or partly civilized life their teeth are being attacked by dental caries. (It is well to remember in passing that it is an error to assume that the old Maoris never cleaned their teeth. They had no tooth-brushes certainly, but they performed a careful oral toilet after each meal, cleaning the teeth with a pointed stick, and vigorous tooth-sucking.) Regular cleaning of the teeth, though it will not altogether prevent decay, will do a very great deal towards it. The circular (printed at the end), used for distribution in the schools, gives more detailed information. What lias Medical Inspection done in this matter? —lt is .the routine custom of the Medical Officers to examine the teeth of every child they inspect, and to notify the parents in every case where treatment is required. In this way many thousands of notices and leaflets giving information about the care of the teeth have been sent out each year. The Medical Officers have particularly endeavoured to stimulate general interest in this important problem. They have taken every opportunity to speak to the teachers directly, to the children directly, and to the parents. Thousands of children have been taken to the dentist consequently, and on re-examination of a school there is a notable increase in the number of children who have had dental attention and have acquired " artificially sound " teeth. In school, children receive instruction upon the value of sound teeth and the importance of cleaning them; in some schools head teachers have undertaken to ask the scholars regularly each morning, when, the school roll is called, whether the teeth have been cleaned. In this simple way the percentage of children who habitually clean their teeth can be raised very considerably. The "clean-mouth" habit must be a part of the child's daily life. Spasmodic cleanliness is of little use. The question of " tooth-brush drill " in schools has been considered by the Medical Inspectors, and it will shortly be introduced experimentally into some of our schools. There are difficulties