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Poliomyelitis
In March the parents of all children born on or between 1st January, 1947 and 31st
December, 1954 were invited to register their children for inoculation against poliomyelitis.
Of the 46,291 eligible children in this division, 14,318 (30.9 per cent.) were
registered, and the amount of vaccine subsequently received during the year enabled
1,799 children to receive a full course of injections (12.6 per cent. of those registered),
and 348 to receive one injection (2.4 per cent. of those registered). It is interesting to
note that in spite of their parents having applied for them to be inoculated, as many
as 696 children who were given appointments failed to arrive, without any explanations
being offered or further appointments sought.
B.C.G.
vaccination
B.C.G. Vaccination of 13-year-old children took place during the spring and
summer terms this year. The number of children eligible was 4,143, and parental
consent was received for 3,061 (73.9 per cent.); 2,978 of these children were skintested,
and 2,446 given an injection of B.C.G. vaccine. A positive reaction to the
Mantoux test was shown in 504 children and 365 of these were examined by chest
X-ray. Only two were found to have abnormal chest conditions.
Children given an injection of B.C.G. vaccine in 1955 were re-tested. Of 2,296
concerned, parental consent was received for 1,746, of whom 1,615 were re-tested.
Only 48 were found to require re-vaccination.
Home
nursing
equipmem
There continued to be a steady demand for various articles of home nursing equipment.
A total of 159 requests were dealt with during the year, 93 patients being supplied ;
111 articles were involved, consisting of commodes, hospital beds, dunlopillo mattresses,
hoists, wheelchairs and similar articles.
Health
education
Dr. Emrys Davies or the Central Council tor Health Education who judged a
poster competition in 1955 took coloured photographs of a number of exhibits which
he used to illustrate lectures at the Central Council's Summer school last August.
Subsequent to the divisional competition the L.C.C. had a county wide Visual
Aids Competition and Miss Akeroyd, tuberculosis visitor, obtained first prize, while
Miss Madden, school nursing sister, took the second.
A stock of health education equipment is being built up at each centre and staff
are given every encouragement to develop health teaching.
Conclusion
I would again like to express my sincere appreciation of the loyal co-operation and
successful work of all my colleagues in the divisional health services.
Division 3, comprising the boroughs of Finsbury, Holborn and Islington.
Dr. M. C. Polhill, Acting Divisional Medical Officer, reports:
Medical
Officers
Dr. B. E. A. Sharpe, Divisional Medical Officer, was transferred to Division I on
21st October, and her successor (Dr. Wilfrid G. Harding) had not taken up duty at
the end of the year. Accordingly, as Acting Divisional Medical Officer, it became my
duty to report on the year's work in the division. Dr. J. E. Marshall was transferred
to the central office in February and replaced in November bv Dr. M. T. McOuaid.
Other senior
staff
Miss C. Walsh, Divisional Nursing Officer was seconded to the World Health
Organisation for two years and left the division in March, being replaced by Miss
M. D. Butler.
Co-operation
with
hospitals,
general
practitioners
and other
authorities
The Hospital for Sick Children continues to be the only hospital from which regular
discharge reports on children, which are so valuable for follow-up work, are received
as a routine. The scheme for the interchange of medical officers with the staff of that
hospital for two sessions a week has continued to be of mutual benefit. Liaison with the
hospital services was strengthened by the holding of meetings with hospital almoners
and three meetings were held during the year. The Divisional Medical Officer continued
to be a member of the National Health Service Liaison Committee for the North
Central area of London and was appointed to three sub-committees set up to consider
liaison problems at chest clinics, the handicapped child, and the maternity services.
Relations between health visitors and general practitioners have continued to be
good.
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