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Appendix
Health Education.—Health education has always had an
important part to play in any well-organised scheme of public
health, but at no time has this fact been so apparent as is the case
to-day. The wide experience gained by so many young adults
during the years of war, together with the increasing scope of presentday
education, provide a suitable soil in which the seeds of a better
health can be planted. The increasing demands-and difficulties
of life in these post-war years has also tended to turn people's
thoughts towards the various ways in which they themselves can
help to build up their own health and that of their families. One
way and another, the time is opportune to explore more fully the
avenues of health education, and to see how this valuable adjunct
can be put to its fullest use.
To be of any practical advantage health education must be
continuous. Sporadic, topical efforts as, for instance, Health
Weeks or local exhibitions, are useful in their way, but they can
never take the place of a balanced, long-term programme which
makes use of as many avenues of approach as are available.
Southgate can justly claim that its health publicity programme
has been in operation for many years. It is difficult to assess the
results of this work, but there can be little, if any, doubt that the
sum total has justified the effort and expenditure incurred.
Our 1946 programme included articles in the local press, the
circulation of the magazine "Better Health," provision of leaflets
at schools, Maternity and Child Welfare Centres and libraries,
talks to local organisations, and the arranging of 33 film shows.
In addition, a special publicity campaign to popularise immunisation
against diphtheria was undertaken in the autumn; while seven
circular letters were sent to general practitioners in the area
acquainting them with the latest additions to our Public Health
service. In this connection, I should like to pay a sincere, personal
: nbute to the editors of our local newspapers. N ot once have they failed
to allow the limited space at their disposal to be used for health
education, when assistance was requested. This generous cooperation
has been of the greatest possible help to the Public Health
Department, and cannot be too highly regarded.
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