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Health Visiting and Medical Inspection of Children between the ages of 1 and 5 years.
The proportion of the Health Visiting Staff allocated to Maternity and Child Welfare pursued
the normal duties with, in addition, certain Civil Defence duties such as the distribution of babies'
gas helmets. A certain number of Health Visitors were for a period after the outbreak of war
required to work at the First Aid Posts.
The number of children under 5 years who were able to be given a full routine medical inspection
during the year was only a small percentage of the 10,000 or so children who should be so dealt with,
were the staff and accommodation available.
With the transfer of one of the three Municipal Health Centres for use as a First Aid Post
and the postponement of the plans for the rebuilding of Health Centre (2) on the outbreak of war,
the outlook for this important branch of the work is uncertain.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The number of cases of this disease notified during the year
was 18, as against 26 last year. This gives a case rate of 6.6 per 1,000 registered live births. A
district midwife attended at the confinement in 5 cases, 8 cases were born in hospital and 5 were
attended by private doctors. One of the 18 cases was notified in error and had no eye defect. In
the remaining 17 cases treatment was obtained at a hospital in 7 cases, at the Municipal Centres
in 6 cases, and by a private doctor at home in 4 cases. The result of treatment in 1 case which left
the district is unknown, but complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in all the other cases.
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.
This important part of the work of each Health Centre had to be suspended on the outbreak
of war.
CHILD LIFE PROTECTION.
At the outbreak of war a number of foster-children were evacuated under the Government
Scheme or privately with their Foster Mothers. At the end of the year there were 69 Foster Mothers
and 101 Foster Children still in Willesden and Foster Mothers and Foster Children were steadily
returning from the reception areas.
Two foster children died during the year. One of these was drowned accidentally whilst on
holiday with his Foster Mother. The other died, aged 19 days, from Spastic Diplegia in the nursing
home where it was born and which it had never left. In addition 3 children died after removal to
hospital from their foster homes.
NURSING HOMES.
One new home, providing accommodation for 4 patients other than maternity patients, was
registered in 1939.
The total number of homes on the register at the end of the year was 8, providing accommodation
for 13 maternity patients and 27 other patients.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE.
In view of the letter received from the Lord Privy Seal asking the Council to reduce their
routine work so that air raid precautions should have first call on their time, the Council determined
to discontinue School Medical Inspection as from 19th May, 1939.
From the outbreak of war on 3rd September, 1939, there was still further dislocation of the
School Medical Service. All schools were closed and some 9,000 of the 18,000 school children were
evacuated to reception areas. The School Nursing Staff was commandeered for the First Aid Posts.
One of the Council's three Municipal Health Centres—Health Centre (3)—was closed as a Health
Centre and brought into use as a First Aid Post.
Medical, dental and cleanliness inspections in the schools were of necessity inoperative until
certain schools reopened in January, 1940, when some dental inspection in school was recommenced
on 15th February, 1940, and cleanliness inspections were recommenced early in April, 1940, after the
release of the School Nursing Staff from the First Aid Posts.
Minor ailment treatment, cleansing and dental treatment continued to be available at Health
Centres (1) and (2) without interruption. The Specialist Clinics were closed for a time but were
subsequently reopened with limited sessions.
The Artificial Sunlight Clinic has remained closed. A new clinic in the charge of a Consultant
Pediatrician was opened on 22nd February, 1940, to deal with mental health problems occurring
in children.
SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN SENT TO RECEPTION AREAS.
Seven of the School Nursing Staff were transferred to Reception Areas where they still are. Two
others were transferred to assist in reception areas for shorter periods.
The complete equipment of one dental surgery was transferred to a reception area. One Dental
Surgeon was also transferred until he was called up for war service.