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The service provided for school children under the Education Act, 1944, is
described elsewhere.
The following is an extract from the report of the Chief Chiropodist :
"The chiropody service continues to expand and two new clinics
were opened at the Angel Community Centre and the Laurels Clinic.
Suitable premises for a foot clinic in the Bush Hill Park area have not yet
been found although several possibilities were explored. In addition, an
extra weekly session was introduced at each of the following clinics — St.
Stephen's, Green Street, and Bowes Road. The domiciliary service has
also expanded.
"A facility much appreciated is the one session each week at the
Angel Community Centre which has been made available to the Welfare
Department, who find it difficult to provide chiropody at some Old
Peoples' Homes. These patients are transported by the Welfare Department."
Venereal Disease
There is no special clinic in the borough, the nearest being that at the Prince
of Wales' Hospital in Tottenham at which a majority of Enfield patients appear
to attend. In their efforts to preserve anonymity, however, some patients tend to
present themselves at clinics far removed from their home district but figures of
incidence are available from London hospitals in respect of Enfield patients. A
total of 440 known new patients attended these hospital clinics during the year.
Since time immemorial venereal diseases with their dread attendant consequences
have been a public health problem. Although the general prevalence
remains high today the more serious consequences are not so common because of
the success of modern therapy.
The disease is not notifiable but treatment must be readily available, contacts
must be traced and treated, ignorance must be eradicated and all must be strictly
confidential. The importance of contact-tracing cannot be over-emphasised since
a low rate of contact-tracing combined with a high rate of defaulters for treatment
produces a reservoir of infection in the community.
The borough shares with two of its neighbours the services of a medical social
worker, whose duty it is to trace contacts, follow-up treatment defaulters, and
assist patients in meeting social problems.
Despite health education carried out over a number of years the incidence of
venereal disease continues to cause anxiety.
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