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Day nurseries—The nurseries were in the main used by children in need of daily care
owing to the health of the parent or to adverse home circumstances.
Occasional creches—The occasional care of children at creches was extended. There are
now nine sessions each week at five centres, and two more are planned.
Prophylaxis—The outbreaks of diphtheria, reported above, resulted in an increase in
immunisations. The number of poliomyelitis vaccinations diminished after the bulk of the
special categories had received their third injections. Towards the end of the year, it was
possible to reduce the number of special 'polio sessions' and at some centres to merge all
the prophylaxis into one session.
Loan equipment—The demand for equipment for the nursing of patients at home
increased both in extent and in the range of articles provided.
Auditory training—The auditory training unit at Lewisham hospital, which started in
December, 1957, is the first L.C.C. clinic of its kind. Children from the age of nine months,
who have suspected deafness, are referred and 59 patients had been treated by the end of
1960. Cases were referred from child welfare clinics, school treatment centres, hospitals
and general practitioners. A survey of the causes of deafness was most revealing. Of the
59 patients referred, the known causes of deafness were found to be due to one of the
following:—the Rhesus factor, birth injury, meningitis, premature birth (2), influenza
during pregnancy, or cerebral palsy. Patients taken on for conditioning and/or auditory
training numbered 40, hearing aids were given to 30 and eight were referred for admission
to schools for the deaf. It is hoped that this type of unit will be extended in the future.
Social case work for maladjusted schoolchildren—The children's care organisers in the
Public Health department are now working as social case workers in the day schools for
the maladjusted. One organiser from the division is working at Willowfield and the experiment
is being tried in other divisions.
Health teaching in schools—Health education in schools has for some years been given
by health visitors in the course of their regular visits, if specially requested by head teachers.
In the girls' schools mothercraft is the principal topic and meets with considerable success.
At one school, the Council's inspector highly praised the teaching given and stated that
' the course has a direct influence over the girls and the advice given is entirely acceptable
to them.' A photograph taken at one of the classes was published in The Times.
Measures were taken to make available fuller provision for health education in the
schools and, after discussions with the divisional medical officer, the district inspectors sent
letters to all heads of primary and secondary schools in the division. The letter referred to
the part played by health education in the building up of right attitudes and habits on
health matters, and the learning by the child of health knowledge appropriate to his age.
Groups of topics were suggested for the various departments, infants, junior and secondary.
The divisional medical officer received invitations from the Camberwell and the Lewisham
Head Teachers' Consultative Committees in order to discuss the projects, and the advice
and help of the Public Health department staff was offered to any school who needed them.
A dozen schools responded; a number of talks were given, literature was provided and
films were shown. At three senior boys' schools anti.smoking campaigns were carefully
planned in consultation with the head. During a selected week various forms of propaganda
on the subject of smoking were used, and the deputy divisional medical officer visited the
school to show a film and give a talk to selected pupils.
Mental health—The division shared with other divisions in the establishment of the new
mental health service under the Mental Health Act, 1959. The team of mental health social
workers was accommodated in the divisional office.
As part of World Mental Health Year, assistance was given to the Lewisham Society for
Mentally Handicapped Children, who organised a public meeting in November.
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