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The Health and Cleanliness Council throughout the year supplied, free of charge, for
distribution, large quantities of excellent posters and publications, and these were greatly
appreciated.
HEALTH CONCERTS.
A new kind of health propaganda was introduced during the year 1928, by the Kensington
Public Health Department, in the form of health concerts, which were held at various halls in the
Borough. During 1929 five of these concerts were given.
Items in the programmes included three health plays entitled: "The Sins of the Mothers"
—dealing with tuberculosis, "Hiram's Baby"-illustrating Infant Welfare work, and "A Fly
Fantasy"-showing the need for exterminating flies.
The first play was produced by the "Douglass Players," the second by mothers and fathers
from the Raymede Infant Welfare Centre, and the third, written by the Council's Health
Lecturer, was produced by children at " The Venture," in Portobello Road.
Experience has proved that this attractive form of health propaganda is very successful.
Audiences from 300 to 800 attended the concerts.
HEALTH MAGAZINE.
The publication of the periodical called "Better Health," has been continued throughout
the year. It is published monthly, and its general purpose is to set before the public information
in regard to health matters in short and interesting articles. Each subject is dealt with by
experts, and technical details are carefully avoided.
A special issue of this paper is printed for Kensington, and a section is reserved for articles
of local interest. These are written by the Medical Officer of Health, Sanitary Inspectors, Women
Health Officers, and ladies connected with the Infant Welfare Institutions. Topical photographs
are also inserted, and various means used to stimulate local interest.
The magazine has proved a conspicuous success, and the demand exceeds the supply.
Two thousand copies of the magazine are issued monthly, and the channels of distribution
are:—
(a) The Infant Welfare Centres.
(b) London County Council Schools in the Borough.
(c) Various Clubs and Institutions.
(d) Public Libraries.
(e) Women Health Officers, etc.
The publication involves no charge upon the rates.
OTHER HEALTH SERVICES.
There are no fever hospitals within the Borough, but several provided by the Metropolitan
Asylums Board are within easy reach.
The arrangements for the treatment of tuberculosis and the organisation for maternity and
child welfare work are discussed further on in this report.
Kensington enjoys a great advantage in possessing a large number of ladies and gentlemen
who give freely of their time and money to voluntary bodies interested in the health and welfare
of the poorer members of the community. Not only are all the maternity and child welfare institutions
in Kensington organised on a voluntary basis, but there are at work in the Borough two
branches of the Charity Organisation Society, a branch of the Invalid Children's Aid Association,
a branch of the British Red Cross Society, the Kensington Council of Social Service, School Care
Committees, a Tuberculosis Care Committee and a number of other bodies managed and financed
on voluntary lines by Kensington residents. The Council have endeavoured with marked success
to work in close co-operation with these organisations and the relationship between them has
always been a happy one.