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the year, when two dentists left the service. This affected the northern part of the
division. The mobile dental unit was in service from May to November and was very
useful in the Finsbury Park area. Special investigation clinics which were held in two
treatment centres functioned very satisfactorily and met a great need, especially for
enuretics. The results of these cases are more and more encouraging. Chronic discharging
ears, such a feature of schoolchildren before the war, seem almost to have disappeared
as a problem. This welcome improvement is probably due largely to the early treatment
by antibiotics which can now be given, coupled with generally improved living standards.
The number of verminous schoolchildren has continued its steady decline. 2,895
were found to be verminous in 1954, the figures for the four years preceding being
3,561 (1953) ; 4,477 (1952) ; 5,107 (1951) ; 8,318 (1950). The Islington cleansing
station closed for a short time during the year for renewal of boilers and arrangements
for the cleansing of children were made at the Finsbury, Stoke Newington and St.
Pancras cleansing stations, with the willing co-operation of the borough medical
officers of health concerned.
There were at the end of the year 522 children in the various schools for the handicapped,
and there was no waiting list. The provision of a day open-air school in the
division, when practicable, will be advantageous in reducing travelling time for the
children needing a spell at this type of school.
Tuberculosis
Tne mass radiography unit of the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital 1
Board, situated in the Council's premises at 32 Drayton Park, was used throughout the
year for routine examination of the Council's staff, including teachers. The unit also
participated in the completion of the special tuberculin survey of Islington schoolchildren,
the results of which were being investigated at the end of the year. In all, 5,075 children
of school age living in Islington were given skin tests, 615 being positive reactors.
4,138 of the children attended the mass X-ray unit for chest X-ray.
The hostel for tuberculous men at Highbury Quadrant was closed at the end of
September and the residents transferred to new premises at Cromwell Lodge, Cholmeley
Park, Highgate, in the borough of Hornsey. Various works of adaptation and improvement
were in progress at the end of the year, but notwithstanding the inconvenience
caused by the constant presence of the workmen, the residents quickly settled down in
their new surroundings. Frequent visits were paid to the hostel by members of the
Divisional Health Committee ; complaints were dealt with and suggestions for improvement
considered and, where practicable, acted upon. The hostel has been fully
occupied.
During the year the scale of extra nourishment which chest physicians could
recommend for supply to tuberculous persons was increased to a maximum of 14 pints of
milk, J lb. butter and 7 eggs weekly. Recuperative holidays were provided for 61
tuberculous persons, slightly fewer than in 1953.
In July the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board opened a new chest
clinic in the grounds of St. Mary's Wing of the Whittington Hospital, the Council
accepting responsibility for furnishing the offices for a superintendent, the health visitors
and the care organiser and her staff. The new clinic replaced two smaller clinics in the
City of London Chest Hospital and the Royal Northern Hospital respectively.
The Council was invited to participate in a Health Exhibition organised by the
Islington Borough Council, which was held between 4th and 9th October in the
Islington Town Hall. Despite bad weather, a total of some 5,000 persons attended
during the week. The Council's contribution included stands devoted to maternity and
child welfare and day nurseries ; the school health service ; the work of the health
visitors ; and services in the home, including home nursing, midwifery, and the home
help service. Diphtheria immunisation and audiometric sessions for schoolchildren were
held each day both forming 'live' exhibitions of the Council's health services. Thanks
to the co-operation of the School Meals and Catering Department and the Divisional
Education Officer and teachers, typical school meals, specimens of the work of handicapped
children and posters designed and produced by pupils were included. The
Health
education
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