OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1940, Page 7

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

APATHY OVER DENTAL DISEASE (To the Editor) Sir, —The valuable work which is being carried out by individuals and organisations in Masterton for patriotic purposes meets with the wholehearted approbation of all citizens. However, in our midst we have a cause which has to be fought on the home front. I refer to the incidence of dental decay in our school children which has ramifications which might be called alarming for want of more apt description. The serious want of thought and the deplorable apathy which has existed concerning the work of the Dental Clinic reflects badly on our civic pride. The women social workers which this town is fortunate to possess are fully engaged in many and varied tasks. Are there any women or women’s organisations prepared to act or nominate delegates to the public meeting convened by Mr J. W. T. Jones, and to be held in Masterton on October 14? When it was found that 80 to 90 per cent of the recruits in the New Zealand Army required dental treatment and 50 per cent of them artificial dentures, a position which is stated to be worse than in 1914, it can be seen that the sooner public interest is aroused in taking preventive measures against dental decay in the initial stages (both pre-school and in the schools) there is a possibility of correcting the position before a general degeneration of public health sets in Trusting that civic minded citizens will take the interest of the children’s health to heart. —Yours, etc.,

C. J. CARLE. Masterton, September 25.