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Members have also done duty as helpers at the Princess Day Nursery, Chichester Road, and
have visited tor the Invalid Children's Aid Association and for the Medical Superintendent of the
Kilburn Dispensary. Some are now detailed for Sunday relief duty in the Willesden Cottage
Hospital.
A Sewing Section for Provision of surgical requisites for Medical Missions and saleable articles
for a Bazaar for the V.A.D. Funds, has been formed.
At Christmas, a Carol Party collected for the National Institute for the Blind and for the
Memorial Chapel in St. John's, Kilburn, to the 200 men of the Parish who lost their lives in the War.
Sir Arthur Pearson sent a letter of warm thanks for the collection for his fund.
In March, 1920, the Commandant organised two Public Red Cross Lectures in Cricklewood,
which were kindly given by Dr. Charles Porter, Medical Officer of Health of St. Marylebone, on
"The Place of Women in the Health Services."
A. Qualifications, Training and Duties of Vocational Workers in Maternity and Child
Welfare Clinics.
B. The Sphere of Voluntary Institutions and Helpers.
Lady Oliver, R.R.C., D.B.E., of the Joint Women's V.A.D. Committee, presided at the first,
when over 70 women attended/and Dr. G. F. Buchan, Medical Officer of Health, Willesden, took
the chair at the second, when the audience numbered 42.
Some valuable information and ideas were interchanged.
An important aim of the Detachment has been to establish an Orthopaedic and Tropical
Disease Day and Evening Clinic for Disabled men under the Pensions Ministry, but so far, in spite
of the most strenuous searches, the Housing shortage has prevented the acquisition of any suitable
premises.
(17) St. John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District; No. 56 Cricklewood Division, Divisional
Headquarters, Midland Railway Institute, Edgware Road, Cricklewood; L. F. Eaton, 11, Midland
Brent Terrace, Cricklewood, Divisional Secretary.
(18) The Willesden Open Air Fund. Hon. Secretary, Miss Wheddon, 39, Ellesmere Road,
Dollis Hill.
This organisation sends delicate children for holidays in the country or children of parents
who, through illness or other reason, are temporarily unable to look after them.
During 1919, 66 children were sent away. The parents of the children contribute to the cost
of the holiday according to their means.
2.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DISTRICT.
Water.—The district is supplied with water by the Metropolitan Water Board, the supply
being constant and of good quality. A frequent cause of contamination arises from the presence
of dead mice and birds, dirt and other matters in the storage cisterns, and in many instances owing
to the cisterns being placed in inaccessible and unsuitable positions, cleansing is difficult and seldom
done. In all such cases the owners are requested to provide a supply direct from the rising main,
without, however, removing the cistern which the Metropolitan Water Board requires to be placed
in every house.
Rivers and Streams.—The River Brent forms the Northern and Western boundary of the
district. The Mitchell Brook, a tributary of the Brent, is a small stream running in a Westward
direction through the district. A large sheet of water known as the Welsh Harp is formed at the
extreme Northern boundary by the damming up of the Brent, thus forming a reservoir about a mile
in length and about a quarter of a mile in width, or 160 acres in extent. The boundary line between
Willesden and Kingsbury Urban Districts passes through the length of this reservoir, leaving an
area of about 68 acres of it in Willesden.
No pollution of any of these waters in the Willesden area came under the notice of the Health
Department during the year.
Drainage and Sewerage.—The drainage, sewerage and sewage disposal are on the water
carriage system, and since the year 1911 have been taken by gravitation into the London sewers.
Closet Accommodation.—With the exception of two or three outlying premises all the
houses in the district are provided with closets on the water carriage system.
Scavenging.—The Health Department was responsible for the removal of house refuse
within the district during the year 1919-20. The work was actually carried out by a contractor, who
was under contract to call at each house in the district at least once in each week and remove the
domestic refuse.