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nurseries on the 31st December, 1950 was 302, no appreciable variation of the position
as it existed at the end of 1949.
Fifteen maternity and child welfare centres (including branch clinics) were
operating in the division throughout the year. Full use was made of the two Family
Planning Clinics, to which 282 women were referred for advice, and continued use
was made of the Mothercraft Training Centre for babies with dietetic upsets and
mothers with breast feeding difficulties. Four maternal deaths occurred in the
division, one of which was of a non-resident. The home help service was utilised
to assist in 228 home confinement cases.
Recuperative
holidays
lhere was an increased demand tor recuperative holiday placmgs, and 12 per
cent, more cases were dealt with compared with 1949.
Home help
service
Demands for this service continued to increase and the staff of home helps
was, as a result, expanded by about 25 per cent.
Vaccination
and
immunisation
Approximately 28 per cent. of babies under twelve months were successfully
vaccinated during the year, and there was an increase of 44 per cent, in the total
number of vaccinations in all age groups. Vaccination sessions were started in the
day nurseries. Smallpox in Scotland during April, May and June with resulting
newspaper publicity caused the number of vaccinations to increase by about 50
per cent, above the number for the corresponding period in 1949.
It is estimated that at the end of the year 57 per cent, of children 0^4 years
and 85 per cent. 5-14 years had been immunised against diphtheria. Twenty-two
cases of diphtheria were confirmed during the year, but only one death occurred;
the child had never been immunised.
Tuberculosis
after-care
Health
education
A Divisional Tuberculosis Care Committee was appointed during the year, and
a review was made of the activities of the three local Tuberculosis Care Committees.
A programme of health publicity was followed in the division, by which the
same topics were concentrated upon at each centre. The various establishments
exhibited posters and distributed leaflets according to this programme, the topic
being changed once a month. The exhibition stand provided by the Central Council
for Health Education was on display at various premises throughout the division.
Short articles on health matters were published from time to time in the Bulletin
of the Islington Public Library.
Foot
clinic
The clinic in the Finsbury Health Centre, employing the equivalent of five
full-time chiropodists, continued to provide a service much in demand. The attendances
increased to approximately 20 per cent.above the previous year's level.
Premises
Considerable progress was made in the carrying out of essential cleaning and
painting works in the various establishments and full use was made by the Divisional
Health Committee of their delegated powers to incur expenditure on such work
by the employment of local contractors to supplement the Architect's programme.
More suitable premises were found at the Highbury Quadrant Church for a
branch welfare clinic, formerly held at the Highbury Vale Mission Hall, Hurlock
Street.
A building re-development scheme necessitated the closure of the Holborn Day
Nursery, but a project for its replacement is under consideration.
School
health
service
There was an increase in the number of sessions to meet a growing demand
for appointments at nutrition clinics. Extra sessions were provided occasionally
at vision clinics in order to reduce waiting lists. The delay in obtaining spectacles
was considerably reduced. Doctors at the nutrition and rheumatism supervisory
clinics utilised the services of a physiotherapist employed in the division. Two
speech therapy clinics held in school premises were found inadequate, and it is
intended to replace these by establishing three speech therapy clinics in school
treatment centres, thereby reducing waiting lists, and providing better accommodation.
Following a new arrangement with the North-East Metropolitan Regional