The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

June, 1951 The Health Bulletin 41Toxoid; and Diphtheria Toxoid withTetanus Toxoid and Pertussis—the socalledtriple antigen, also showed markedincrease in 1950. Almost three timesas much triple antigens was used in1950 and in 1949. The demand for SchickTest and Schick Test Control materialwas almost unchanged.Notwithstanding the fact that a largenumber of children were immunizedagainst Tetanus with Tetanus Toxoidthere is still an increase in the amountof tetanus antitoxin distributed, bothfor prophylactic and therapeutic purposes.In spite of the increase in the amountof Scarlet Fever, there was a very smallamount of Dick Test material distributedby the Laboratory.From the administrative point ofview the first half of the year 1950 wasrelatively free from worry. There werefewer resignations than we had experiencedfor several years. The second halfof the year was a marked contrast. Presumablythe outbreak of the War inKorea, the increase in the number ofmen in uniform and the step-up in militarypreparations, resulted in a markedincrease in the number of resignations.We lost some experienced workers whichwe could ill afford to lose and some welltrained youngsters who showed promiseof developing into dependable bacteriologists.The workers who have beenwith us through the years have manifesteda commendable loyalty to ourInstitution and to the cause to whichit was dedicated. We feel confident thatthey—with the assistance of such recruitsas we may be able to attach toour staff, will continue to render dependableservice and make a commendablecontribution to the protection ofthe people of North Carolina.ORAL HYGIENE DIVISION — ErnestA. Branch, D.D.S., DirectorMore than 76,000 children in the elementaryschools of North Carolina hadan opportunity, during the year, 1950,to learn dental health facts throughclassroom instruction by the dentists onthe staff of the Oral Hygiene Division,while 165,000 children and teacherslearned about teeth from Little Jackand his dental health puppet show.The mouths of more than 81,000 childrenwere inspected. For 32,000 underprivilegedchildren the staff dentistsmade the necessary dental corrections,referring the privileged children to theirown dentists.The ten full-time State school dentistsvisited 522 elementary schools in 55counties.In addition to the children who receiveddental health instruction fromthe dentists and puppet show, manyother classroom groups have used thedental health educational materials preparedand distributed by the Oral HygieneDivision. A conservative estimatewould indicate that the mouth healthprogram has reached at least 250,000children, or about half of the enrollmentof the elementary grades duringthis one year.The record is not so good in respectto dental inspection and treatments, dueto the shortage of public health dentists.This time last year the prospects forrecruiting the staff were excellent. However,the Korean situation arose, practicallybarring us from the recruitmentfield. Because of the present nationalsituation a further reduction in the staffis imminent.The changing conditions and circumstancescall for new ventures and programs.Plans are now being worked outto try to meet this emergency. The dentistsin private practice are being calledon to supplement the services of thestaff dentists in making dental correctionsfor the underprivileged children.The Executive Committee of the NorthCarolina Dental Society and the DentalMembers of the County Boards ofHealth have endorsed in substance thefollowing basic principles as guides forthe proposed emergency program:1. Every dentist licensed to practicein the State will be given the opportunityto participate ,but no dentist willparticipate to the extent of devotingmore than six hours a week to this program.2. Payment to the dentists will be on