New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-10-07
DENTAL HYGIENE
DESTROYS DISEASE
Local Dental Clinic to Emulate
Record Of Boston Institution

In st. Vincent's Orphan Asylum,
Camden street, Boston, according to a
report of the dental committee Of the
Bridgeport Board of Health submitted
at a meeting Of the Dental Clinic
Committee of New Britain yesterday,
there are close to $50 pupils In the
year 1910 the matron became con-
WINGED that bad condition of the chill
dren's mouths had much to do with
their sickness. A room was furnished
with a dental chair and equipment and
DR.. F. A. Keyes, of Boston, was en-
ployed to put the children's mouths in
q sound sanitary condition.
Before work was started in Novem-
Der, 1908 there were cases of dipn-
liberia, of mumps, II of scarlet
fever, 3 of pneumonia, "a of measles,
10 of tonsilitis, Z of whooping cough,
Is OF chicken pox and of Group.
When work was started in Novem-
Der 1910 the cases had changed to the
following figures: Diphtheria |,
mumps 10, scarlet fever IL, pneumonia
4, measles 40, tonsilitis 8, whooping
cough 2, chicken pox 10, Group 0. A
year after opening up the school
dental clinic there was not a single
case of any of the above ailments to
be found and only two i'll in the school
both HAVING tubercular cases.
From April 1912 to April 1913 there
was not a single case of illness in the
/ institution. In 1913 to 1914 one new
child entered with a bad mouth and
almost Immediately five other new
! children, whose teeth needed attention
| joined her in developing an attack of
measles. Another child with bad teeth
| developed pneuonia. A year later these
| children, after a course in dental hy-
,giene, were sound in health and body
and the only illness in the school were
six tubercular cases which had just
| entered.
It is with the intention of curing
or remedying> similar evils in New
Britain that the drive has been started
| by professional people and welfare
workers with the cooperation of the
! Rotary club and Chamber of Com
merce to establish a dental clinic here.
The object Of the dental clinic as
proposed in New Britain is to have
regular inspection of teeth in the
schools, conduct a campaign of edu-
cation for the benefit of parents AS
well as children and provide treatment
at a nominal cost to the needy.
| The committee yesterday composed
of DR.. f. Zwick, chairman and con-
sisting Of seven others, met in the
board Of health rooms in city hall and
formulated plans for the financial
campaign to be conducted here next
week
Letters to all the ministers in the
city, including the Salvation Army
have ben written and will be delivered
this evening by Boy Scouts, asking
that announcements of the campaign
be made from the pulpits Sunday
1t is planned to act in conjunction
with the Rotary club and have DR.
Alfred c. Zones, Director of Denta
Hygiene in Bridgeport to deliver ar
address here.
Contributions toward the fund fol
$500 will be received next week by
Secretary Mrs. Alfred Thompson, who
will be in charge of temporary head
quarters at IS West Main street, of b,
Treasurer w. S. Howe, at 38 Trinity
street.
1t was decided not to make an,
systematic solicitation for funds unit
it was seen how the contribution
, came in during the early part of tn,
week.