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10
Teaching of Mothercraft at the Centres.
An important part of the work of each Health Centre is its Mothercraft Section.
This is in special charge of one Health Visitor at each Centre, and holds its sessions in the
afternoons.
The work has proceeded on the same lines as outlined on page 10 of the 1931 Annual report.
During 1934,532 Mothercraft sessions were held, with 5,337 attendances of mothers, and 4,726
attendances at the nurseries. This gives an average of 10.03 attendances of Mothers per session.
378 individual mothers attended.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE.
Schools.—There are 36 public elementary schools in the district. Of this number 24 are
Council and 12 church or non-provided schools.
Included in the number of the Council schools are 2 special schools, 1 for mentally defective
and 1 for physically defective children.
The hygienic condition of the schools in Willesden is very variable. Many of the more modern
schools leave little to be desired as regards ventilation, lighting, warming, equipment and sanitation,
but some of the other schools fall short of the standard desirable.
Water to the schools is supplied in all instances direct from the mains of the Metropolitan
Water Board.
Adequate facilities are provided for the supply of drinking water for the scholars.
Medical Inspection.—During the year ending 31st March, 1934, the average number of
scholars on the Public Elementary School Rolls, including the Special Schools, in Willesden was 21,387.
The following groups of children were examined during the year:—
(1) All children admitted to school for the first time;
(2) All children between 8 and 9 years of age; and
(3) All children between 12 and 13 years of age, together with children over 13 years of
age who had not been examined on reaching the age of 12.
The total number of children medically inspected at routine and special inspections during
1934 was 13,471.
Findings of Medical Inspections.—(a) Uncleanliness.—Cleanliness inspections were carried
out in the schools on 612 occasions during the year 1934, the average number of visits paid to each
school by the Health Visitor being 18. The total number of examinations and re-examinations
made during the year was 62,697.
This is highly important work. In 1914, when it was first begun, the percentage of nitty or
verminous children in the schools was as high as 20. In those days a child was not called nitty or
verminous except there were many nits on the hair. In 1932, when a child with only a few nits was
placed in this category, the percentage of nitty or verminous children in the schools had dropped to 3.6.
It will therefore be noted that enormous improvement had been effected, far greater actually than
the figures show. In 1934, however, the percentage rose to 4.8.
The first reverse in the steady decline which had been maintained since 1920 was in 1933,
when the percentage rose to 4.1.
Percentage of Nitty and Verminous individual children recorded upon routine cleanliness inspection
at the Schools from year to year since 1914.
1914 20%
1915 23%
1916-19 Results not recorded owing to war.
1920 11.9%
1921 9.8%
1922 8.3%
1923 8.2%
1924 7.1%
1925 6.0%
1926 5.9%
1927 4.7%
1928 4.7%
1929 4.0%
1930 3.7%
1931 3.6%
1932 3.6%
1933 4.1%
1934 4.8%