tion and sanitary arrangements, and immunization against diphtheria, Letanus, cholera and smallpox was carried out in the schools during the year by staff under the direction of Area Health Officers. The Government Chest Service is responsible for tuberculin testing and B.C.G. vaccination in schools.
SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD
(Table 34)
67. The School Medical Service is administered by the School Medical Service Board, an independent statutory body incorporated by Ordinance and operated by private medical practitioners. Remunera- tion of the doctors is on a per capita basis, half the annual fee being paid by the participating pupil and half contributed by Government, which also meets the Board's administrative expenses.
68. On 31st March, 1970, the number of pupils participating was 41,244, from 672 schools, compared with 41.037 pupils from 645 schools on the same date in the previous year. Doctors participating in the scheme numbered 195 compared with 201 in the previous year.
DENTAL SERVICE
(Table 35)
69. The Dental Service provides dental care for all monthly-paid Government officers, their dependants and Government pensioners. and offers limited specialized treatment for in-patients of Government Hospitals, prisoners, inmates of Training Centres, and emergency treatment for members of the general public.
70. Fluoridation of the Colony's urban water supplies began in 1961. The rate of enrichment was formerly at two levels, being 0.7 parts of fluoride per million in summer and 0.9 parts per million during winter. In May 1967 the concentration was increased to a constant level of I part per million throughout the year. This level is to be maintained in future and is the result of a decision arrived at after consideration of more recent work on the study of optimum fluoride levels for com- munity water supplies. The cost of this operation is now estimated at about 11.9 cents per person receiving fuoridated water per annum. Dental health education plays an important part in combating dental disease in the Colony and the Dental Service continued to take advantage of major educational exhibitions to distribute information and advice on the maintenance of denial health.
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71. Although no training in dentistry is undertaken in Hong Kong, a programme of overseas training is maintained by Government and during the year three scholarships were awarded to students for study in the University of Sydney in Australia. In-service training in dental technology is available for students in Government employment and evening classes are held in the Hong Kong Technical College for technicians in pirvate employment. One Dental Surgery Assistant was under training for dental nursing in Penang, Malaysia, under a World Health Organization Fellowship. One Dental Officer, under a World Health Organization Fellowship, underwent 9 months' training in Dental Health in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore, with a view to training Dental Nurses when a Dental Nurses Training School is established in Hong Kong. A Dental Nurse is now on a 12-month Dental Nurse Tutor course in New Zealand under a World Health Organization Fellowship with a view to assist, on completion of the course, in the training of Dental Nurses in Hong Kong.
FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
(Table 36)
72. The Forensic Pathology Service consists of a main laboratory in Police Headquarters, Hong Kong, and another laboratory in the Mong Kok Police Station, Kowloon. It deals mainly with medico-legal work in close association with the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. Although the administration of the public mortuaries at Victoria and Kowloon is in the hands of the Medical and Health Department, Institute of Pathology, homicidal deaths and deaths from suspicious circumstances still remain in the hands of the Forensic Pathologists.
GOVERNMENT LABORATORY
(Table 37)
73. The laboratory provides chemical services and a wide range of technical assistance for Government departments. During the year a total of 30,247 items were submitted for examination, which is com- parable to the last year's record figure.
74. The number of items examined by the Forensic Division showed a marked increase over the previous year, particularly with respect to questioned documents. Other police work was related to murder, arson, rape and miscellaneous minor crimes. Senior members
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