Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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14
HEALTH EDUCATION
There has been a considerable expansion in the health education in the Borough in 1948. Health lectures
with films were commenced in schools and day nurseries, and have now been given in all the senior modern
schools and all the day nurseries.
There are regular meetings of the staff where both clinical and administrative subjects are discussed and
films are shown. The doctors, health visitors and midwives meet monthly, and the day nursery matrons every
two months. The sanitary inspectors meet monthly, when the general work of the department and matters of
interest are discussed.
Arrangements have been made to provide health education at evening meetings for many organisations
in the Borough.
The medical and nursing staff visit the Central Middlesex Hospital, twice a month, for refresher
demonstrations by the paediatrician and obstetrician on the care of children and the practice of midwifery.
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
During 1948, 5,490 children were medically inspected at routine inspections as follows:
Entrants 2,454
Second age group 1,917
Third age group 1,119
There were also 17,085 reinspections.
There is need for the provision of special medical inspection rooms at the schools, with adequate waiting
accommodation for parents and an adequate supply of medical equipment and hot water for the medical and
nursing staff. Difficulty has been experienced in arranging medical inspections in some schools because of lack
of accommodation resulting from the increase in the number of pupils and classes.
Medical and Dental Trentment—Attendances at Municipal Health Centres, 1948:
Mothers and Children under 5 | School-children | Grand Total (Cols. 7 and 8) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expectant Mothers | Nursing Mothers | Children under 5 | Total (Cols. 2 -5) | |||||
0-1 | 1-5 | Total (Cols. 4 and 5) | ||||||
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) |
1. Cleansing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
2. Throat, Nose & Ear Diseases | — | 22 | 251 | 273 | 273 | 1,876 | 2,149 | |
3. Minor Ailments | 5 | 31 | 619 | 1,448 | 2,067 | 2,103 | 21,649 | 23,752 |
4. Eye Diseases | 8 | 2 | 100 | 334 | 434 | 444 | 2,926 | 3,370 |
5. Skin Diseases | 6 | 16 | 185 | 95 | 280 | 302 | 597 | 899 |
6. Rheumatism | — | — | 6 | 6 | 6 | 148 | 154 | |
7. Orthopædics | 36 | 81 | 326 | 876 | 1,202 | 1,319 | 2,100 | 3,419 |
8. Medical Consultations | 16,393 | 32,710 | 34,187 | 12,146 | 46,333 | 95,436 | - | 95,436 |
9. Diphtheria Immunisations | - | - | 2,340 | 7,728 | 10,068 | 10,068 | 1,054 | 11,122 |
10. Total (1-9) | 16,448 | 32,840 | 37,779 | 22,884 | 60,663 | 109,951 | 30,350 | 140,301 |
11. Dental Consultations | 1,974 | 674 | — | 1,296 | 1,296 | 3,944 | 13,663 | 17,607 |
12. Total (10 and 11) | 18,422 | 33,514 | 37,779 | 24,180 | 61,959 | 113,895 | 44,013 | 157,908 |
13. School for Mothers | 429 | — | — | — | — | 429 | — | 429 |
14. Nursery | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
15. Miscellaneous | - | — | — | — | — | 26,805 | 5,520 | 32,325 |
16. Grand Total (12-15) | 18,851 | 33,514 | 37,779 | 24,180 | 61,959 | 141,129 | 49,533 | 190,662 |