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53
untiring industry of the lady members of the staff. During 1914
the incidence of illness amongst the ladies was unusually heavy,
and I have the sincerest pleasure in recording the ungrudging
way in which the work of those on sick-leave was carried on by
the remaining health visitors.
HEALTH LECTURES.
One of the most notable tendencies of public health work in
late years has been that by which endeavours have been made to
enlist the active sympathy and intelligent co-operation of the
people in the production of a higher standard of physical and
general welfare both of the individual and of the community. It
is obvious that to secure a lasting improvement not only must the
external circumstances of life be made better, but the actual
personal practices and mode of life of the individual should be
raised to the highest possible level. The latter aim can only be
attained by causing each one to know personally what should be
striven for and how undesirable and inimical personal conditions
may be avoided or got rid of. Croydon has in past years been
noteworthy for the number of parents' conferences, health talks,
&c., which have been held with this object in view. The recommendations
of the National Insurance Act for the institution of
series of health lectures had thus been anticipated to some extent
in the Borough. During the past year it was felt that what had
previously been done in this respect could with advantage be
extended, and I therefore arranged a series of health lectures,
which have been delivered by the medical staff and the health
visitors during the winter 1914-15. The lectures were extremely
well attended, and were in every respect successful; quite a considerable
number of children were brought for special examination
by the parents in direct consequence of several of the lectures.
The cost of the lectures was borne partly by the Sanitary Committee
and partly by the Insurance Committee. The meetings
were arranged so as to tap the whole borough, and were held in
various schools for the use of which we are indebted to the Education
Committee. A list of the lectures, with the dates upon which
they were held, is given on page 169 of the School Medical
Report.