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In its annual Home Safety Week 2nd - 7th November, the London County Council also
adopted the theme of prevention of falls in addition to a follow-up of last year's
"Guard that Fire" campaign.
The Public Health Department took part in the Campaign by special displays of posters.
distribution of leaflets, and also requested suitable shops in the Borough to display
posters which were distributed to them. Other Departments of the Council also co-operated
by the display of posters in their establishments and on vehicle some 6,000 leaflets and
20,000 bookmarks being distributed through the Public Libraries.
Old People's clubs: Talks to eleven clubs, by the Medical Officer of Health or
Deputy Medical Officer of Health, were a special feature of the prevention of falls campaign
The old people took a lively and intelligent interest in the lectures and subsequent
discussion and, as by far the greater number of victims of accidental falls are elderly
persons, it is felt that this is a particularly useful type of accident prevention publicity.
Lead Poisoning in a Child
An enquiry was received from the Divisional Medical Officer of the London County
Council in regard to a ten-year-old school child admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children
suffering from serious illness found to be due to the effects of lead poisoning. A detailed
enquiry into the home circumstances was undertaken and it was found that among the toys with
which this child played were some toy soldiers Some of the limbs and heads were missing
from these toys and it appeared very probable that the child had been in the habit of sucking
the soldiers for some years Although redecoration of the premises had taken place for which
some lead paint had been used there was no evidence that the child had played with or taken
any of the paint It would therefore seem that the only possible source of the intake of lead
was due to the child's unfortunate habit of sucking his lead soldiers.
Poliomyelitis Publicity
The outbreak of poliomyelitis in Islington provided some incentive for young people
within the specified age groups to seek protection against the disease However a large number
did not attend any of the numerous clinic sessions held for poliomyelitis inoculation With a
view to increasing the public response, the Divisional Medical Officer of the County Council
organised an intensive publicity campaign including the display of posters and distribution of
leaflets in shops, offices, factories, cinemas public buildings and other establishments
The Public Health Department assisted this campaign by the distribution of a large
amount of material which was displayed in the various Departments of the Council and through
the Public Health Inspectors in food shops in the Borough
Education on Smoking and Lung Cancer
The Department also co operated in similar manner with the London County Council in
publicity on smoking and lung cancer The Deputy Medical Officer of Health (who is also an
Assistant Divisional Medical Officer of the L.C.C. ) gave a number of talks to senior classes
in secondary schools on this subject.
General
By special request, a lecture on Public Health Services was given to the Men's
Club at Cross Street Baptist Church, by the Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Routine publicity by posters and leaflets continued throughout the year by means of
the Council's poster sites and from the Public Health Department occasionally also through
other Departments of the Council. The Chief Librarian co-operated with this Department in the
distribution of the monthly journal Better Health " through the Public Libraries and in
the provision of "Family Doctor" for reading by members of the public.