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APPENDIX. Education Department, N.Z. —Medical Branch. (Circular issued by the Medical Inspectors of Schools.) DECAYED TEETH IN CHILDREN. A clean mouth is more important than a clean face. Care of the child's tenth will add to his present vigour and happiness, and help to ensure his future health and success in life. The teeth, are necessary to grind the food. They ought to last throughout life, but we lose them by decay. Particles of food easily get caught in tho little hollows in and between the teeth. These particles soon ferment and cause decay of the teeth. I. Decayed Teeth cause 111 Health. 1. Bad teeth can give rise to such diseases as blood-poisoning, consumption, pneumonia, diphtheria, rheumatism, and many others, because— (a.) Disease-germs multiply rapidly in a decayed tooth. The minute germs of the diseases mentioned may lodge there and multiply by the thousands in a few hours. (b.) Disease-germs can enter the body through a decayed tooth. The decayed spot communicates with minute vessels that enter the tissues of the body. When the disease-germs enter the body they give rise to the corresponding disease 2. Bad teeth cause stomach troubles, bocauso poisonous material and germs are swallowed with every mouthful of food. This causcs_poor digestion, bad breath, poor general health, and liability to illness. 3. Bad teeth render chewing difficult or impossible, and food which is not thoroughly chewed and mixed with the saliva causes indigestion and constipation. 4. Bad tooth causo toothache, and chronic, toothache makes children nervous and irritable. 11. Decay in Teeth can iib prevented. 1. Try to develop good teeth : When a baby is born tho buds of all the teeth, both first and second, are present under the gums. Anything that interferes with the baby's health interferes with the nutrition of the developing teeth. Natural feeding is best for the baby's health, and therefore best for the growing teeth. 2. Use the teeth :If the teeth are not used when they are growing they will never grow strong. Children should therefore have hard food to chew, such as crusts, oat-cakes, <fee. ; a hard apple is good to finish a meal. Avoid too much soft and sweet food, as it satisfies the appetite without exercising the teeth. 3. Keep the teeth clean : Uncloanlinoss leads to decay. Biscuits and sweets between meals are very bad for the tooth, as the sweet particles stick in tho cracks and readily ferment. (a.) Bogin to clean tho teeth early in life. Each child should have his own tooth-brush and be proud of it. The " clean-mouth habit " cannot bo formed too soon. (6.) Clean tho toeth thoroughly. Use tooth-powder or clean soap on the tooth-brush or salt in the water. Brush the teeth up and down and over all surfaces as well as across. Wash the mouth well at the same time. (r,.) Clean the tooth regularly. They should be cleaned at least once a day, but better after each meat. They should always be cleaned last thing at night. 4. Watch for signs of decay, and, if possible, got the teeth inspected by a dentist onco or twice a year. N.B. —Parents should look out for the first permanent molars. They come at about the sixth year, immediately behind tho first tooth, and are nearly always mistaken for first teoth. They are perhaps the most important teeth in tho mouth, and should nover be allowed to deoay. 5. Attend to the general health. A healthy, sturdy child is most likely to have strong, sound teeth ; and poor general health reacts on the teeth. 111. Decayed Teeth should re treated. 1. Get tho first tooth treated if they show signs of decay. This is always worth while, as the mouth must be kept clean and healthy for the second teeth. 2. Directly a tooth begins to decay obtain treatment. Monoy thus spent will be monoy well spent. It will help to save doctors' bills. If a decayed tooth is treatod early it need give no pain, and ought to last throughout life. 3. Never allow a bad tooth to remain in the mouth. One bad tooth in a mouth will set the others going, as one bat! apple among good ones. If decay is extensive the tooth must be extracted. This is always a great pity, because artificial teeth are not, nearly as good as natural teeth. N.B. —Natural teeth can oxert a pressure of 250 lb. ; artificial teeth of only 50 lb. Remember — (I.) Where teeth are bad a child swallows poison with every mouthful of food. (2.) Teeth should be cleaned at least once a day to prevent their decay. (3.) If a tooth decays treat it at once.

Education Department, N.Z. —Medical Branch. (Circular issued by the Medical Inspectors of Schools.) SUGGESTIONS TO PARENTS. In order that your child may receive the fullest benefit from his school training, and grow up to be a health and vigorous citizen, you are asked to do your part by attending to the following matters : — Steep.—Children attending school require at least ten hours of quiet refreshing sleep in a well-aired bedroom with open windows. Many young children are not sent to bed early enough, and do not got nearly enough sleep. Delicate, nervous, and anseiuic children especially need sleep. The excitement of evening entertainments is very harmful and interferes "with sound sleep.