263. Pupils and teachers in private schools, who participate in the School Health Service, were dentally examined every six months, dental operations were performed and a large number of conservative treatments were carried out. The state of children's teeth in 1963 was found as in previous years to be bad. Of 22,191 children examined, 15,076 were found to require treatment, i.e. 67.9%. No fewer than 1,112 permanent teeth and 10,745 deciduous teeth were extracted, regrettably high totals. The numbers of deciduous and permanent teeth which were filled were 788 and 3,431 respectively. The proportion of extractions to fillings remains high in spite of a policy directed to conservative treatment whenever this was possible.
264. The 2 Dental inspectors already mentioned were engaged, on duties connected with the supervision of dental practice in the Colony. Their duties included the inspection of premises of registered dentists, many of whom do not possess orthodox dental qualifications, and, in addition, they investigated and reported instances of illegal practice of dentistry. As a result of their activities in this regard 8 persons not registered as dentists in the Colony were convicted of illegally engaging in practice.
265. A summary of the dental work undertaken by Govern- ment staff during 1953 is shown in Appendix 16.
Pharmaceutical
266. This sub-department is under the charge of the Chief Pharmacist who has, at his disposal, a staff consisting of 4 pharmacists, and 46 dispensers of whom 11 are probationers at various stages of their training. This staff is disposed of in the Central Medical Store and in the pharmacies in various departmental institutions. A wide range of activities is covered from the issue of drugs and instruments to hospitals, clinica and public dispensaries, to the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, inspection of licensed premises and the custody and disposal of confiscated narcotics. During the year medical supplies were
issued to 191 institutions, an increase of over 50 on the figure for 1952. This figure included the issue of purely "first aid" items to other Government departments.
267. At the Central Medical Store on Hong Kong laland considerable quantities of pharmaceuticals were manufactured as is indicated below, where a comparison is made with similar work carried out in the previous year.
Bulk injection fulds, litrea
1952
1954
sukkan menyabean AAMU
30,192
13,495
28,530
37,611
6,443
6,124
204,195
619,380
mil
505,000
Injections, various in 20 ml, containera Bulk ointments, be
Bulk mixtures, concentrated, Iba Tablets
------------d---F༞༞--------F---
268, Manufacturing work was greatly facilitated towards the end of the year by the installation in the Central Medical Store of a new and very large gas-operated autoclave in replace- ment of 3 old "field service models" which had given excellent service for nearly 9 years, but which were beginning to cause trouble.
269. An important duty of the Chief Pharmacist and his staff is the supervision of wholesale and retail dealers of pharma- ceuticals and the issuing of licences thereto. The numbers of licences issued during the year as compared with the previous year are shown below together with the number of premises registered and visited.
Wholesale Dealers Licencos
Listed Sellers Licences (Retailers) Licencea igaued to Authorized Premises
(Pharmacies)
Antibiotles Permita
Restricted Antibiotics Permita
Premises inspected
J952 185.7
465 475
AUTOLOL
220
24
204
207
94 157
895 1078
270. As a result of the inspectorial activities of the Depart- ment's staff legal proceedings were instituted in 11 instances for offences against the Pharmacy and Poisons and Penicillin Ordinances.
70
71