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9
Vermin.
The number of cases of infestation with body vermin
discovered during the year continued to be very small and almost
all were cases of head lice found by the Health Visitors
attached to the School Medical Service. Apart from casual
infestations there are just a families in which it has been
found difficult permanently to eradicate head lice, the position
being complicated in most cases 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 personally and
encouraged the treatment of the whole family as a unite.
AMBULANCE.
For Infectious Disease Cases. The arrangements made for
the conveyance of cases of infectious disease remained unchanged
during the year.
Accident and General Cases. Similarly no alteration was made
until the end of the year in the Civil Ambulance Service, which
since August 1941 has been under the control of the Medical
Officer of Health and was staffed very ably by members of the
First Aid and Light Rescue Service.
In December the 40% cut in the whole-time First Aid
and Light Rescue personnel necessitated the appointment of male
drivers and attendants specifically for the Civil Ambulance
Service. Unfortunately, owing to the absence of a decision
on the future status of the Fire Service, the future of the
Ambulance Service has also remained uncertain 3 an interim
measure 6 drivers and 6 attendants, all recruited from the
Civil Defence Service, were appointed for a period of 6 months,
terminating on 30th June, 1945, but until that date the Service
remained closely linked to the First Aid and Light Rescue
Service, which continued to provide garages, deputies in cases
of absence of the whole-time ambulance staff, and female
attendantS.
The services of the local Report and Control
Centre were also again utilised in dispatching the ambulances
until 30th June, 1945, and their co-operation was much
appreciated.
For practically 5 years the Civil Ambulance Service
has been one of the primary interests of the First Aid and
Light Rescue Service, the members of which have taken a keen
interest in its efficiency, which has been enhanced, while the
calls it has attended annually have been nearly de ■^ In
determining its future it is hoped that the interest, enthusiasm
and careers of the personnel at present serving it will not be
forgotten, although it is obviously desirable to link it with
another form of Service, e.g. the Fire and/or Hospital Services,
if it is to be economically developed.
HOSPITALS
No major alteration was made during the year in the
hospitals providing for the needs of the district. The
shortage of general hospital beds was again acute, particularly
during the period of fly-bomb attack which seriously curtailed
the available accommodation.