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 Woolwich]
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and nutritious articles of food and the preparation of them in an appetising,
tempting and palatable way. The demonstrator is loaned by the South Metropolitan
Gas Company and a demonstration meter shows how much the actual cooking
has cost, in terms of pence. The cooked dishes are sold at about half cost to those
attending the classes. A cup of tea and biscuits are provided by the Care Committee
at each meeting. The nett cost to the Council for food for the year was £3 10s. 0d.
The number attending was 41, the number of attendances was 577 and there were
48 meetings.
(h) The Central Council For Health Education.—This organisation
consisting of representatives of health authorities, educational authorities, insurance
committees, friendly societies, etc., exists for the systematic development of methods
of health education, and the cultivation of health mindedness in the community.
It is, in the words of the Minister of Health, "a clearing house of information and
experience in the best methods of stimulating general interest in making widely
known the facilities which exist in the prevention and treatment of disease and
in fostering a knowledge of the part which individuals can play in promoting the
health of the nation." The Council provides a poster service and an exhibition
service ; it publishes literature on health matters and it sends weekly articles to
the press on health subjects ; it has provided a permanent exhibition of health
propaganda material in London and it holds a Conference each year on health
matters ; it is in short a co-ordinating central agent of great value to local
authorities in their work for health education. The Council makes an annual
contribution of £3 3s. Od. to its funds.
(i) Better Health.—This is the official journal of the Central Council for
Health Education. It is published monthly and the total monthly issue is over
200,000 copies. In it are to be found popular descriptions of standards of personal
hygiene, and of advances in modern preventive medicine. The journal thus provides
a simple, inexpensive and regular medium of arousing and stimulating public
interest in health. The Council purchase each month 2,000 copies of this journal
and these are distributed free through the Welfare Centres, Libraries, and Schools.
In an endeavour to interest a wider public in health matters a small number of copies
are posted each month to residents in the Borough, selected at random. "Better
Health" has met with the full approval of the general public and school teachers.
(j) Posters.—Posters produced by professional advertising agents are outstanding
in character, variety and design. Business firms are convinced of the
value of these if one judges by the space occupied by such posters on the hoardings
of this country. Such displays must have a value in health propaganda work, but
until recently there were few health posters which were suitable for display on
public hoardings. The position is now changed and posters are available. Many
of the voluntary health associations have undertaken the responsibility of
producing these in accordance with a scheme organised by the Central Council for