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Thirteen of the unsatisfactory samples of water came from the paddling pool at King Edward VII
Park. New outlets were provided in 1958 to make the cleansing of the pool more efficient, but sand from
the sandpit carried into the pool still produces problems. Provision has been made in the estimates of
expenditure for 1959/60 so that further improvements can be carried out.
The remaining three unsatisfactory samples of water came from Granville Road Baths and were due
to faults with the filters. These were cleansed and the filtering media changed. The Borough Engineer reported,
however, that there should be sufficient free chlorine to carry out continuous sterilisation and a break-point
chlorination plant will be installed early in 1959 at a cost of £725.
Uncleanliness and scabies (Table 10)
As compared with 1957 there has been an appreciable decrease in the number of children and adults
treated for scabies and lice and nits.
Establishments for massage and special treatment
The registration of establishments for massage and special treatment is delegated to the Borough
Council under Part XII of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944.
During the year two new licences were issued and 25 were renewed. Exemption from licensing was
claimed in one case under the Act for a registered member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. All
the applicants are suitable persons to hold licences, and their premises were found satisfactory.
Health education
In the modern community it is essential that all citizens have a knowledge of the principles of health
and are able to practise the simple rules of hygiene. This knowledge helps many people to avoid mental
and physical disorders and relieves general practitioners and hospitals of some of their heavy burdens in
dealing with the sick.
The department's health education programme is based mainly on lectures illustrated by filmstrips
and films. To ensure that the rising generation gets the best possible training in health, special attention is
paid to health education in schools, linked, as far as possible, with a hygiene or biology syllabus.
The Area Medical Officer and members of his staff, and the Chief Public Health Inspector and his
staff give the talks in schools (Table 11). Brains trusts are held at the end of each term, which enable the
children to ask questions which have not been adequately answered during the lectures. The questions which
they put to the panel at these brains trusts show quite clearly that the children are interested in the subject
and that they are gaining much useful knowledge of health matters.
At the health clinics mothercraft classes are held, and doctors, midwives and nurses give many talks,
some illustrated with filmstrips. These talks are most useful in helping mothers to care for themselves and
their babies. Health visitors also give more specific individual health education in the mothers' homes during
their routine visits (Table 12). Mothers' clubs held at the Kilburn and Stonebridge Health Clinics have been
successful and much appreciated. Talks were given on subjects such as health, cookery, sewing, chiropody,
home nursing and first aid.
Health workers themselves need post-graduate education. Health education films are shown and
lectures given, often by outside lecturers, to separate meetings of doctors, public health inspectors, health
visitors and day nursery matrons and their deputies. The meetings are held regularly, and the interesting
discussions that follow many of them have been most valuable in keeping staff abreast with recent advances in
technique in their special subjects.
During the year four West Indian students studying at the University of London Institute of Education
for the Diploma in Health Education visited Willesden on numerous occasions over a period of three months
in order to gain practical experience. They carried out a survey on the integration of coloured people in
Willesden as part of their training. Their report received publicity in the national and local press, and many
requests for copies were received from other authorities and organisations dealing with the welfare of
coloured people. It was circulated to the Council, and arising from its consideration the Council decided to
send a copy to the British Caribbean Welfare Service for their views on the help the Council might give to
the growing West Indian community in the borough, and to invite them to discuss the matter with Council
representatives. Discussions took place, and the Welfare Service favoured the appointment of a joint consultative
committee to assist in integration. The Council agreed to this suggestion, and His Worship the Mayor
kindly agreed to call a meeting of representatives of all organisations in Willesden to discuss the setting up
of such a committee.
Talks have been given to religious, social and political organisations for a number of years, but the
extension of the habit of television viewing has affected the number of requests received by the department
and the size of the audiences at meetings. Nevertheless many talks were given to several organisations on
different subjects (Table 11) and they were well attended.
To compensate the decrease in the number of lectures given to social, religious and political organisations,
the department are arranging more talks to factory employees. The Medical Officer of Health and his
deputy give these talks during lunch-hour breaks and they were well attended and very useful (Table 11).
To improve the efficiency of the home help service, three series of five talks, together with a brains
trust, were given to home helps. The talks dealt with hygiene in the home, diet and shopping, care of the sick,
care of mothers and children, accidents and emergencies.