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Provision of Anesthetist.—The Council further accept responsibility for the payment of a
fee to an anaesthetist called in by a medical practitioner in connection with confinement cases. No
such fee was paid in 1940.
Home Helps.—The Council provided the services of home helps in connection with 249
confinement cases.
Maternal Mortality Investigations.—The Council has continued to take part in the
investigation of deaths of mothers in childbirth for the Maternal Mortality Committee of the Ministry
of Health. The investigations are carried out by the Council's Consultant Obstetrician. Seven cases
were inquired into during 1940.
Hospital Treatment of Children under 5 Years of Age.
Treatment for children suffering from Marasmus and the operative treatment of enlarged
tonsils and adenoids continued to be available at the Willesden Municipal Hospital throughout the
year. 35 children were under treatment for Marasmus during the year and 85 for enlarged tonsils
and adenoids, Mastoid Disease, Chronic Otorrhoea and Otitis Media. Nine of the children suffering
from Marasmus died. Children have been admitted to hospital to a limited extent for orthopaedic
conditions.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The number of cases of this disease notified during the year
was 9, as against 18 last year. This gives a case rate of 3-9 per 1,000 registered live births. A district
midwife attended at the confinement in 5 cases, 1 case was born in hospital and 3 were attended by
private doctors at home. Treatment was obtained at a hospital in 4 cases and by a private doctor
at home in 5 cases. Complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in all cases.
Cases of inflammation of or discharge from the eyes of infants or of cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum entering Willesden after notification elsewhere are also visited by the Health Nurses.
Teaching of Mothercraft at the Centres.
This important part of the work of each Health Centre had to be suspended on the outbreak «
of war.
CHILD LIFE PROTECTION.
A number of foster children have been evacuated under the Government Scheme or privately
with their Foster Mothers. At the end of the year there were 40 Foster Mothers and 50 Foster
Children still in Willesden. No foster children died during the year.
NURSING HOMES.
One new home, providing accommodation for 5 patients other than maternity patients, was
registered in 1940.
The total number of homes on the register at the end of the year was 6, providing accommodation
for 5 maternity patients and 23 other patients.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE.
Medical Inspection in the schools, which had been discontinued since 19/5/39, was recommenced
on 27/9/40 for the half of Willesden served by Municipal Health Centre (1)—Kilburn, Cricklewood,
Kensal Rise and part of Harlesden. 466 children were medically inspected at these routine inspections
and 8,044 at special inspections and re-inspections during 1940. This does not include the medical
inspection of children about to be evacuated to reception areas.
Some dental inspections in schools recommenced on 15/2/40. Cleanliness inspections in
schools recommenced in April, 1940, after the release of the School Nursing Staff from First Aid Posts.
With the exception of artificial sunlight the Clinic treatment normally provided by the Council
has been available.
Owing to the continued use of Health Centre (3) as a First Aid Post and the failure of the
Council to obtain sanction for its much needed return to use as a Health Centre, the work for the
whole of Willesden has had to be carried out from the two remaining Health Centres.
Scabies.—209 cases of Scabies amongst school children came to the notice of the Health
Visitors during 1940. 201 of these were treated at the Municipal Clinics. In 1939 there were 178 cases
under notice, of which 167 were treated at the Clinics. It should be remembered that at the end of
1940 there were only some 5,500 children on the rolls of Public Elementary Schools in Willesden
instead of the normal peace-time number of some 18,000, but on the other hand children continued
to be brought back to Willesden for the treatment of this condition.
Uncleanliness.—(a)'Willesden.—Cleanliness inspections were carried out in the schools on
282 occasions during the year 1940, the average number of visits paid to each school by the Health
Visitor being 12. The total number of examinations and re-examinations made during the year
was 22,715.