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1925]
4
voluntary infant welfare centres, with three branches. Each centre specialises in
a way, inasmuch as special clinics receive prominence. The North Islington
Welfare Centre was one of the first in this country to start artificial sunlight
treatment as a preventive measure against illness in young children. The
artificial sunlight lamp was established in Manor Gardens in September, 1924.
The West Islington Welfare Centre established a similar clinic in June, 1925.
The dental care of young children has been during the later years a matter
which called for energetic action. The old idea that because the decayed tooth
is one of the child's first set, and that therefore it is useless to trouble, has with
our modern knowledge been largely dissipated, and the centres have taken a
leading part in the establishment of dental clinics.
This work in the departments mentioned is merely a corollary of the routine
work of the Centres as regards the ante-natal care of the mothers and the supervision of the infants, the establishment of proper methods of care in the homes,
and kindly advice on all matters appertaining to the rearing of healthy children.
The object of the centres is not treatment of disease, which is the province of the
family doctor, but the prevention of illness, which can be attained by increasing
the resistance of the individual by natural means, for it is now considered an
established fact that the healthy person most successfully resists infection.
Returning momentarily again to the past, in a description which Sir Walter
Besant gives of London in 1210, he says, "Leaving London and walking along
the straight line of wall running nearly east and west we look upon the open
moor, dotted with ponds, and intersected with streams and ditches. Here, the
kennels belonging to the city hunt and to rich citizens from which all day can be
heard the barking of dogs. From here stretches west an uncultivated moorland,
covered with rank grass and weeds and marsh flowers. The marsh is in itself a
regular area, measuring roughly 400 yards from east to west by 300 yards north
to south. The few buildings here must be erected upon piles driven into the
London clay. There is talk of the construction of a postern opening upon the
moor, and of a causeway across the moor which would be a great convenience to
people wishing to go to ISLEDON or on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Muswell
Hill."
Just as the traffic passes through, it may be, Islington to-day on the way to
the Alexandra Palace, so in those days at Islington began the forest which had
to be passed on the way to the same place, Muswell Hill, for the religious festival.
But what a change in the aspect of the country there now is. The only part of
the forest which remains is Kenwood.
But. as in the past there was a day population of visitors, excursionists, as
it were, on holiday, Islington at the ptesent day, although not in any way to be
compared to the City of London in this respect, has a day population as well, for
from the Census of 1921 interesting figures reveal the change in character in
recent years. The Borough is becoming more and more a factory and workshop
area. In the Census year 1921, the persons working in Islington enumerated
elsewhere in London and the home counties were 21,071 males and 10,227
females. Thus there were 31,298 workers not living in the borough. The health
of the worker, however, whether he may or may not reside where he works, is of
very considerable health importance. The ordinary resident basis which it is
usual to use as an index to important aspects of the home conditions and