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159
In non-epidemic periods the visiting of those under five years
of age is carried out by the Health Visitors, and of those over
five years by the nurses of the Metropolitan District Nursing
Association.
The duties are to advise the mother as to the best way to
deal with the case, to arrange for extra nourishment when the
family is necessitous, to provide through the Metropolitan
District Nursing Association skilled nursing in the home where
necessary, to secure medical treatment where lacking, and to
obtain early removal to hospital of those cases where the child
could not be suitably nursed at home.
Seven hundred and sixty-six visits and re-visits were paid for
these purposes during 1937. Of the notified cases, 219 were removed
to hospital, the remainder being nursed at home.
Whooping Cough.
Whooping cough is a dangerous disease, especially in babies,
in whom it frequently causes broncho-pneumonia and death.
Children are often left with weak chests after this distressing
malady which is sometimes the forerunner of tuberculosis. This
disease was the cause of death in 6 children under five years of
age last year.
Since 28th May, 1934, whooping cough has been made compulsorily
notifiable in the Borough; 179 cases were notified in
1937; every case under five years is visited by the Health Visitor
and arrangements made for hospital treatment if required.
Provision of Vaccine.—A vaccine supplied by Genatosan,
Ltd., is given to the local practitioners on application for the
treatment of necessitous patients. Three doses are given to each
case according to the age of the child.
The vaccine was first tried out by the general practitioners in
the Borough, and the results were stated to be good.
Vaccine was supplied for seven cases last year.