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81
Diphtheria
immunisation
In May an intensive campaign to encourage parents to have their children
immunised against diphtheria was carried out in conjunction with the Ministry of
Health national campaign. There were special displays of posters, leaflets, slides in
cinemas (by the co-operation of the owners), and advertisements in the local newspapers
throughout the country. It is not possible to evaluate the results of these
annual campaigns, but the need to maintain a high level of immunity amongst the
child population is so essential, if we are to avoid a recurrence of diphtheria epidemics,
that any increase in the numbers immunised is worthwhile.
The mobile van in one division, which, during part of the summer, accompanied
by a car fitted with a loudspeaker, tours busy streets and immunises children brought
forward by their parents, does good work. The van has been made available to other
divisions, but because of the "open air" waiting for parents and children its use is
necessarilv restricted to fine weather.
Exhibitions
The department co-operated with the following metropolitan boroughs by the
provision of exhibition material:
Fulham: Health week (June 18th to 23rd) in the Lillie Road Recreation Ground.
Woolwich: Civic exhibition at the Town Hall (Oct. 20th to 27th).
Shoreditch: Civic week (August 7th to 11th).
Facilities were granted to the B.B.C. for sound and television programmes
dealing with the Council's work.
Sex
education
The demand for talks to youth clubs, etc., on this subject was not so pronounced
as in previous years, probably due to a smaller "turnover" in their memberships.
There were 403 attendances at seven courses.
Provision
of care
and
treatment
for the
mentally
ill
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Lunacy and Mental Treatment Acts, 1890-1930.
During the year the shortage of accommodation in observation wards continued
to be the most disturbing feature of the work of placing under care persons suffering
from mental illness. Before the war there were, in London, 353 beds in observation
wards. Owing to bomb damage and other circumstances arising from the war there
were 203 at the time of the transfer of the hospitals to the Minister of Health in
July, 1948, At the end of 1951 there were 217. distributed as follows:—

*Includes 208 cases dealt with in 1950 and 911 in 1951 under sections 11 and 14 ot the Lunacy Act,
1890, elsewhere than in an observation ward.
As will be seen, the number of admissions dropped very considerably during the
war but has since progressively increased, and in 1950 was almost 50 per cent. higher
than at the end of the war and a little higher than the pre-war figure.