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was undertaken for six months by Dr. Trevor Evans. All children
attending two toddler clinics had a history taken of any accident occurring
in the home during the past six months.
290 children were examined and 46 of these had had an accident of
sufficient gravity to receive medical attention. 13% of the accidents
were scalds or burns. 53.5% of the accidents were falls. The remaining
accidents (33.5%) were due to various factors.
Scalds and burns—badly fitting fire guards, insecure fastenings were
among the causes. One child unclipped a fire guard and stuck a metal
spoon in an electric fire, this caused a shock and severe burns to the hand.
Falls—commonest causes being objects left lying about, torn carpets.
Some children fell out of their cots on to their heads, causing bruising—
one actually had a fractured collarbone.
Accident Prevention is being taught continually in the clinics and in
the homes by the health visitors. The mothercraft talks also present the
subject of prevention of accidents in the home. Leaflets are distributed
and posters are exhibited at the various centres.
This form of health education should be extended vigorously in every
way possible.
Formal Health Education by Health Visitors
The provision of a film projector for use in this Area is still considered
necessary, and though expenditure on this was refused during the past
year, application will be renewed.
Series of talks on parentcraft were given to all except one of the
secondary modern schools in Hornsey and to five similar schools in
Tottenham. The teaching of parentcraft to boys by health visiting staff
has not met with much success although it was undertaken by an
experienced member of the staff this year for the first time.
Talks given to schools this year numbered 372. Visits to clinics were
arranged in some cases as part of the programme. The continuance of
this part of the health visitor-school nurse work is of the very greatest
importance, as it is from this group that the young mothers of the future
will come. Already a number of mothers visiting local clinics have
reminded health visitors that the first introduction they had to parentcraft
was by this means. Members of the health visitor-school nurse
staff who undertake this teaching have received the utmost co-operation
from head teachers and their staff.
The school teaching of parentcraft as described above has been
observed by representatives of the Ministries of Health and Education.
Finally, reference should be made to the policy of limiting the number
of health visitors attending the courses on techniques of health teaching
to one health visitor in each year. Ten years seems an absurdly long
time to wait for the opportunity to send a second member of the staff
on such a valuable course of instruction.
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