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11
Health Visiting and Medical Inspection of Children between the Ages of
1 and 5 Years.
The practice described under this heading on page 9 of the Annual Report for 1931 was continued
during the current year. The aims and methods adopted were outlined on pages 9 and 10
of the Annual Report for 1932.
Findings of Medical Inspections.—The following table shows the numbers and percentages
of individual defects found in 495 children examined during the year.

Thus some 500 children out of a total of about 10,000 were given a full routine medical inspection
during the year. This is work that the department have been striving to do for years but have been
unable to overtake on account of lack of accommodation and staff. The Ministry of Health Circular
issued in 1936 exhorted the Council to provide for this work, and in their reply to the Minister the
Council promised to do so when Health Centre (2) was rebuilt. The completed plans for this centre
are now under consideration by the Council.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The number of cases of this disease notified during the year
was 28, as against 19 last year. This gives a case rate of 9 2 per 1,000 registered live births. A
private doctor attended at the confinement in 2 cases, a district midwife in 8 cases, 17 cases were
born in hospital and 1 just before arrival at hospital. Treatment was obtained at a hospital in
12 cases, at the Municipal Centres in 11 cases, and by a private doctor at home in 5 cases. Complete
recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in 20 cases. In 1 case there was corneal opacity of the left
eye, 6 cases left the district and 1 case died the death being certified as due to prematurity.
Cases of inflammation of or discharge from the eyes of infants or of cases of ophthalmia neonatorum
entering Willesden after notification elsewhere are also visited by the Health Nurses.
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 1937, 497 Mothercraft sessions were held, with 4,257 attendances of mothers, and 4,092
attendances at the nurseries. This gives an average of 8-6 attendances of Mothers per session. 333
individual mothers attended.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE.
Schools—There are 35 public elementary schools in the district. Of this number 23 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. The more modern schools
are quite satisfactory 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.