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Children under 5 years of age.
These generally come to light in connection with their elder brothers and sisters. In 1941, 204 were
treated at the Health Centres for scabies making 677 attendances, and 22 were treated for lice making 22
attendances. In 1942, 363 were treated at the Health Centres for scabies making 977 attendances, and 34
were treated for lice making 34 attendances.
Adults
The figures below indicate that there is a considerable increase in lice and scabies amongst adults, or
in any case that a greater number of adults suffering from these conditions are coming to the notice of the
Health Department.
These adults come to the notice of the Health Department as contacts with known cases amongst
school children or as cases referred from hospitals or factories. One factor which is thought by workers
amongst scabies to be keeping up the prevalance of this disease is the reluctance of the father of the family
to admit that he has anything wrong with him and to continue at work without securing efficient treatment.
Willesden Health Centre states 17/2/43 that out of 173 adults treated for scabies in 1942, 113 were the
parents of children treated at the Health Centre— 65 per cent. The remaining 60 or 35 per cent, were for
the most part cases referred from factories or hospitals or private practitioners.

The following tables give a picture of the work done at the Health Centres in respect of scabies and
lice in 1941 and 1942. The cases were followed up in their homes by the Health Visitors and necessary action
taken as to cleansing, disinfection and examination of contacts.

* 317 of these attendances were made for the inspection of contacts who on inspection were found not
to be suffering.
Although the arrangements at the Health Centres for the treatment of scabies and lice were adequate
for the cases which had to be dealt with in normal times, they were quite inadequate and unsuitable for the
cases requiring attention in 1941 and 1942. It was evident that little progress was likely to be made until
arrangements were such that every member of a household in which a case of scabies came to light could be
examined and if necessary treated at once and at the same time. After careful consideration the Council
decided to erect a suitable building suitably staffed for dealing with these conditions in the Municipal
Hospital grounds where such cases would not be crowded up with maternity and child welfare patients, where
a doctor would be readily available and where all persons could be treated at once and return home in thenown
clothes after these had been disinfested at the hospital disinfecting station. Further, any severe cases
could be immediately admitted to hospital. This proposal received the sanction of the Ministry of Health
in January, 1943, and the Centre is expected to be open in 1943. It will then be possible to undertake a
more intensive campaign against these conditions than has hitherto been practicable.