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An open day was held at Clifton Lodge day rehabilitation centre, to which officers of
interested voluntary and statutory organisations and firms providing work for the patients
were invited. This experimental unit for 40 patients is well attended and there has been no
lack of suitable industrial work. The weekly evening social club continues and is much
appreciated.
Fifty children, of whom 20 were new cases, attended the special advisory clinic for
mentally backward children under five years of age which is held weekly at the Shoreditch
health centre.
Woodberry Down health centre—Adaptations within the premises have provided
additional office space for the Area Children's Officer and additional accommodation for
the expanding child guidance unit.
Loan of home nursing equipment—This scheme continues to be in demand and items on
loan include special beds for heart cases, Dunlopillo mattresses, hoists, commodes and
outdoor and indoor wheel-chairs.
Chiropody—The average number of sessions held weekly increased from 70 to 73.
DIVISION 5, comprising the boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney and the
City of London
Dr. G. O. Mitchell reports:
Mental health—The work in the mental health field increased during the year. The
social side developed rapidly and many patients were introduced to clubs and evening
institutes; some churches also showed interest in the work. Contacts with a number of
firms resulted in about 24 patients being placed in work; lodgings were found for a few
but this is a real problem in such a congested area. Temporary residential care was provided
for a number of weeks whenever needed for the mentally subnormal and proved to be of
real benefit to the recipients and their relatives.
The day hospital which functions at St. Clement's hospital was of immense value to
the division during the year. This unit is primarily for elderly persons who are also mentally
ill—the average age of the patients attending in 1962 was 68. The occupational therapy
provided proved both interesting and helpful; it is encouraging to know that of the
60 patients discharged during the year, 30 were considered to have improved and 29 of
these were able to return to their own homes. Late in the year a social club was formed
at the day hospital and reports so far indicate that this is yet another successful development
in this field.
On the completion of works of adaptation, the Bethnal Green training centre opened in
January as a centre for older girls and in March a 'special care unit' was opened at this
centre to deal with the more severely mentally and physically handicapped children. The
divisional special advisory clinic for mentally backward children under five years of age
was attended by 42 children, of whom nine were new patients.
Prophylaxis—Following the announcement of the first case of smallpox in Bradford
during the second week of January there was a heavy and increasing pressure from the
public for immediate vaccination; this pressure was further increased with the diagnosis of
cases at Woolwich and Hornchurch. Many requests were received from employers for
sessions to be organised for the mass vaccination of their employees and from certain
firms for vaccination of particular groups of workers. Special sessions were arranged for
the vaccination of dockers and also for a number of delegates from Bradford who were
inspecting wool warehouses in Millwall Docks. Altogether, nearly 100 additional day-time
and evening sessions were held in addition to the extension of existing vaccination sessions.
At all sessions during the emergency period of almost five weeks nearly 14,000 persons
were vaccinated, of these nearly 10,000 returned a week later for the inspection of their
vaccinations. In addition, more than 20,000 doses of vaccine were issued to general
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