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9
SCABIES.
In the Interim Report for 1942 an account was given of
the establishment of a Scabies treatment centre at the Coulsdon
First Aid Post in May 1942 and the result of the treatment
provided for the 257 cases who attends during the remaining 8
months of that year.
In 1943 a total of 326 persons attended for treatment
(180 children, 40 men and 106 women) compared with 237 person.
(13Q children and 107 adults) in the last 8 months of 1,942.
Altogether 1217 baths were given by the staff of the First Aid
Post who continues to co-operate enthusiastically in spite of
the monotonous and not very attractive nature of their
occupation.
Of the 326 persons, 259 (138 children, 34 men and 87
women) appeared to recover after the routine treatment of 2 01
3 baths at 6 - 8 days interval (it is difficult to obtain the
re-attendance of all cases six weeks after the last bath for
re-inspection but it is assumed that the non-appearance of school
children, especially after an interval of several months, indicates
that the condition has been cured. It Is found also that most
adults who suspect recurrence re-attend, having benefited by the
relief of the distressing irritation even if not cured by the
first course of treatment.)
It was very exceptional to find persons requiring more
than 3 baths to produce apparent cure and the number who had
relapses within ~6 weeks was very 3. 11 unless there were
exceptional circumstance . The chief problem was some 14 large
families made up of 58 persons (5 men, 17 women and 36 children)
in which through failure of all the members to attend together
reinfection was kept up and individual members of the families
were constantly returning for treatment. The same type of
difficulty arese in other cases in which either the husband
only reappeared on leave periodically and did not get treatment
or one member of the family did not at end until those receiving
the initial treatment had been reinfected. Even in these,
circumstances cure- was eventually obtained in almost all cases.
Undoubtedly the centre has justified its existence and
served a very useful purpose.
VERMIN.
The number of cases of infestation with body vermin
discovered during the year was very small and almost all were
cases of head lice found by the Health Visitors or School
Medical Service. Apart "from casual infestations there adjust
a few families in which it is difficult permanently to
eradicate head lice, the position being complicated in each case
by physical or mental defects usually of the mother.
Since the war the Council has supplied Sacker's Combs to
persons found to have been infested, usually at full cost though
repayable by instalments and in recent years Lethane Special
has also been given free of cost together with advice on the
measures to be- taken. Where necessary the Medical Officer of
Health has visited persona11y and encouraged the treatment of
the whole family as a unit.
The visits have been very satisfactory with the very
few chronic exceptions which improve temporarily but are, liable
to relapse.
AMBULANCES.
For Infectious Disease Cases. The arrangements made for the
conveyance of cases of infectious diseases remained unchanged
during the year.
Accident and General Cases. Similarly no alteration was made
in the Civil Ambulance Service, which since August 1941 has been
under the control of the Medical Officer of Health and is staffed
very ably by the First Aid and Light Rescue Service.