The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-05-06
THE HATTIESBURG NEWS

dental service were presented to her
that, after mature deliberation, the
work was undertaken and first estab
lished in the city of Strassburg, where
they have recently erected a 100000
building for the school dispensary. All
school children's teeth are examined
twice yearly, and those too poor to pay
are treated without recompense, and
the municipality pays for the services
rendered. This action has been fol
lowed by other cities, and at the pres
ent time over forty have Dental Dis
pensaries connected with their school
system,
L. Switzerland. Russia and other con-
tinental countries have followed her
example, and in the city of st. Peters
burg. Russia, are NINE such institu-
tons for her worthy school children.
Germany, having established this
espionage was the first to discover
great truth-it really paid in dollars
and cents to take care of her school
childrens teeth
The work has been in operation for
sufficient length of time to demon
strate-
FIRST-That the time expended in
putting the teeth in order was far less
than the time formerly lost in tooth
ache and disability caused by diseased
teeth.
SECOND-That the cost of keeping
the teeth in order was more than COM
pensated for by better health and con-
sequent reduction in medical expenses.
THIRD-That the child became
physically stronger, secured a higher
average in his studies, was easier to
control and was apparently happier.
In foreign countries, the caring for
the weaker members is taken as a
matter of course. This is especially
true in the case of the children. To
the poorer members their country is
indeed a FATHERLAND, holding out
helping hand for the benefit of all.
CHAPTER TX.
If Tim had lived in Rochester he
would have attended a big, well-yen-
tilated school, with medical inspec-
tor and school nurse, who would soon
have detected his diseased condition
and his parents would have been mott
fled, If they were too poor to care for
him he would go to one of the numer-
Gus Dispensaries at the Hospitals or
to the Public Health Association and
there have his adenoid growths re-
moved. He could go to one of the
free Dental Dispensaries conducted by
the Rochester Dental Society and his
mouth and teeth would be attended
to- He would have the privilege of
course in Mouth Hygiene in the
schools by an experienced lecturer
furnished by the society and receive
instruction in the care of his mouth
and the use of tooth brush and powder
That the applicant be poor and needy
is the only requisite for receiving free
services in these Dental Dispensaries
/ They are helping to make these chill
/ dren better citizens, better men and
women, as the care of the teeth is a
step toward the care of the body in
general and with it, increased conf
dence and self-respect. This is a
charity of charities, as every chart
table organization in the city is send
ing children to the Free Dental Dis
pensaries for treatment.
The necessity of the work is appall-
ing; we have just scratched the
surface; what is needed, is a Dental
Dispensary and a dentist in every
school in the city, and the time is
coming when this will be considered
as essential in school work.
During the year 1909 the Free Den
tai Dispensaries had a total of 1878
patients and performed for them 1921
operations at an expense of less than
so cents each.
Where in any other public charity
will dollar go so far and accomplish