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52
Other Activities
Lectures on the social aspects of disease and health education
continued at Croydon and Mayday Hospitals. Because it was
felt that those who are trained in health education techniques
should do all they can to help in the training of other professional
groups, lectures were willingly given at nine other
colleges and training schools in London.
Two courses on "Preparation for Retirement" were run by
Croydon Technical College and it was an interesting venture to
give the lectures on "Health." They highlighted the need of the
public for knowledge about the normal mechanism and functions of
the human body and for the opportunity to discuss habits and
behaviour.
Home Safety
Talks and discussions were given regularly during the year
by various members of the staff and outside organisations.
Exhibitions and Displays
Again a twenty¬foot exhibition stand was arranged at the
Ashburton Flower Show in July and staff discussed the exhibits
with the public throughout the day.
Home Safety was featured on the Public Health Stand at the
"Welcome to Citizenship" exhibition and also played a large part
in the Health Education Open Week for Junior Teachers held at
Coombe Cliff Education Centre.
Fire Prevention
During the autumn the Fire Prevention Officers gave thirtysix
talks and demonstrations at Infant Welfare Centres and
Toddlers' Clinics. This was a tremendous effort, but it is hoped
their work will continue. In spite of all the publicity the
number of children under five years of age taken to hospital by
ambulance for injuries sustained from burns and scalds rose from
26 to 36.
It is depressing to note that Croydon has followed the
national pattern of an increase in the number of accidents taken
to hospital by ambulance and in the number of deaths. For the
first time the number of deaths from home accidents exceeded the
number of deaths from motor accidents - although it should be
observed that seven of the deaths occurred when a multi¬occupied
house caught fire, the fire being caused by an oil heater.