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21
great measure, the need for perhaps lengthy and deep
psychological treatment later on."
DAY NURSERIES:
The provision of Day Nurseries on the previous scale
was continued and at the end of the year all the existing eight
Day Nurseries were still in operation. The public demand
for the service has steadily increased, particularly latterly,
when there has been a drive by the government for the return
of women to industry. The Day Nurseries have been kept
busy and each has a waiting list.
Each Nursery has been approved as a training school for
Student Nurses, who can take the National Nursery Nurses'
Diploma Examination at the end of two years. This training
is run in conjunction with the Hendon Technical College,
where the Students attend for lectures.
The health of the children has been good, infectious
disease has been much less than was anticipated and the
common cold, with subsequent catarrh has been the most outstanding
cause of illness. Two cases of infantile paralysis,
one in a member of the Staff and one in a child in widely
separated nurseries occurred, fortunately there were no
further cases.
Four of the Departmental Medical Officers undertake the
medical supervision of the children in attendance each having
two Nurseries allocated to her for this purpose. The medical
care consists of periodical examinations, immunisation against
diphtheria and the diagnosis of any doubtful case of infectious
disease. In this connection, and so that the incidence of
infectious disease may be reduced to as low a level as possible,
each new entrant to the Nurseries is examined at one of the
Health Centres before admission. The co-ordination of the
staffing and the general conduct of the Nurseries is the
responsibility of one of the Departmental Medical Officers.
The following Table shows the position and accommodation at
each Nursery:—