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advantages to be gained by utilising them to the full. The
contributions to the Conference by the public indicated a healthy
interest in the services and the value of such Delegate Conferences
taking place at intervals.
Miss V. Matthews, Superintendent Health Visitor, has contributed
the following:—
Health education has been continued during 1946 in many
different ways. Individual teaching takes place in the home, in
the Clinics and, when the opportunity presents itself, at School
Medical Inspections, and is thoroughly pursued by the Medical
Officers and Health Visitors. Dental Officers also take advantage
of every chance to teach the necessity of the care of the
teeth and, in general, the public have become more widely aware
that dental sepsis frequently spells general ill-health.
Posters relating to various subjects are regularly displayed
ac all Health Clinics and informative leaflets distributed to the
public and sometimes to older school-children. The blackboard is
frequently used to bring some point of topical interest to the
notice of those attending the Clinics.
Group teaching has been extended and now takes its place
as an important parlt of the Ante-Natal Clinic in all buildings
which are suitable (all but the two Church Halls). Mothers
attend the Mothercraft Class immediately prior to the Doctor's
Ante-Natal 'Session. This has proved the best time for all concerned
but the arrangement does limit somewhat the full success
of the appointments-time scheme. An average attendance at the
class is 10 mothers, and it is obvious that all cannot see the
Doctor at the same time. However, the majority of those who
enjoy attending the classes are women expecting their first babies
and the visit to the Ante-Natal Clinic provides for them an opportunity
for exchange of view with others, as well as for obtaining
the necessary medical advice, discussion regarding baby clothes,
etc., and the collection of the Government vitamin preparations.
For mothers who have other children and whose knowledge of
the details related to the subject is well grounded, an attempt is
made to eliminate unnecessary waiting, by an appointments
system. As a finale to attendance at the complete course of 6
Mothercraft Classes, a mother will sometimes offer to bring her
young baby as a model for the baby's bathing demonstration, the
Health Visitor conducting the demonsltration bathing the baby,
and explaining the details step by step. This is the most
popular of the series and gives great satisfaction to all since many
young expectant mothers have not so far seen a young baby
bathed.
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