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Control of Infectious Diseases.—3,268 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were notified
during 1919, and visited and dealt with by the health visitors. In addition, 1,300 non-notifiable
infectious diseases intimated from the public elementary schools received attention.
Work of the Health Nurses.—Health visitation is undertaken at the homes by fully-trained
nurses appointed by the Council in connection with notified births, the health of expectant and nursing
mothers and children up to five years of age, and infant mortality enquiries. The Health Nurses also
follow up at the homes defects of school children notified from the schools or under treatment at the
clinics, such as want of cleanliness, eye diseases, diseases of the nose, throat and ear, skin diseases,
defective teeth and the like.
The total number of visits made by the Health Visitors during the year 1919 was approximately
60,000. It is satisfactory to record that, in respect of school children, they succeeded in securing
treatment for 15,129 out of 17,035 defects, or 90.6 per cent.
Home Nursing.—The Council had this question under consideration in connection with the
home nursing of pneumonia, measles, whooping cough, epidemic diarrhoea and ophthalmia neonatorum,
and other conditions particularly amongst mothers and children. The Council decided to put this
service into operation, and the Ministry of Health sanctioned half the cost of the service as attributable
to maternity and child welfare. The service came into operation on 19th January, 1920.
Abnormal Children.
The Health Department is also responsible for the care of the abnormal child, i.e., the blind,
the deaf, physically defective and the mentally defective. All cases of abnormal children are submitted
to a special examination, and placed in day schools or residential schools, suitable to their
attainments and special disability, subject to the sanction of the Education Committee. At the end
of 1919 there were 14 blind, 28 deaf and dumb, 191 mentally defective, 20 epileptic and 403 physically
defective children under the observation of the Health Department. The 403 physically defective
children should be in attendance at an Open Air School, the provision of which is now compulsory upon
the Local Education Authority, and is under their consideration.
Provision of Meals.
Meals are provided by the Council and the Education Committee at three centres provided and
maintained by the Education Committee, and one voluntary centre, to expectant mothers and children
under five years of age, and school children in cases where the circumstances of the family come below
the economic scales fixed by the Council or Education Committee.
During 1919, 1,140 mothers and children under five were provided with 13,455 meals, and
7,638 school children were provided with 102,632 meals.
Motor Ambulance Service.
This service continues to do excellent work, and is much appreciated by the public. Daily
some 100 abnormal children are taken to the mentally and physically defective schools. About 600
cases of infectious disease are removed each year, and some 1,000 cases of sickness or accident are also
removed. In addition, about 700 journeys per annum are made in connection with disinfection of
bedding and other articles. Seven motor vehicles are at work, and the total number of miles travelled
per annum is 50,000.
Municipal Hospital.
The detailed report on the Municipal Hospital herewith deserves the notice of every member of
the Council as well as the general public of Willesden.