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There were 42 recurrent cases—1 in 16 families, 2 in 4 families,
3 in 2 families, 5 in 1 family, and 7 in 1 family.
Verminous Conditions.
Thirty-nine cases of verminous heads were reported-14 referred
from health clinics, 3 by factory welfare officers, 5 by
private medical practitioners, 4 by school medical officer, 5 by
hospital doctors, 4 by health visitors, and 4 came directly to the
Town Hall for advice. Thirty-five of these cases received treatment
at Kensington Medicinal Baths, and the other four were
treated by the Education Authority. One case of body lice was
reported by a factory welfare officer, and received treatment at
Kensington Medicinal Baths.
In their Health Education talks at the Clinics and at their
home visits the health visitors take the opportunity as occasion
arises and appears appropriate to have a word regarding attention
to the hair, etc. For the under fives, wearing the hair
short is the best advice; for the adolescent girl a word is given
regarding permanent waving always requiring day-to-day combing
and brushing. Special Sacker combs are available at the
Clinics and given on loan when required. Lethane Hair Oil preparations
are advocated. The obviously clean family need not
be worried on the above points, but infestation is a family condition,
so that if one person be accidentally affected the chances
are that someone else in the family has also become infested,
however slightly, and the health visitors advise appropriately. If
infestation be beyond the assistance of the health visitors, persons
are referred to the Royal Borough of Kensington's Clinic,
Medicinal Baths, Bletchynden Mews, North Kensington, W. 10.
With the kind co-operation of the Food Executive Officer, a
letter addressed to the parents of every family was handed as
they returned from evacuation, pointing out the importance of
diphtheria immunisation, as it might have been that immunisation
treatment had not been commenced or had been interrupted
because of evacuation. In the absence of the usual home surroundings,
too, it was pointed out that it may have been that
families were unable to give their customary attention to personal
hygiene and bathing. If, therefore, parents were in any doubt
about contagious skin conditions or troubles, advice and assistance
at the clinics for both adults and children was offered. This
letter had the very useful result of making it possible for the
health officers to assist families as they returned from evacuation.
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