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The poster approach is also used in the Clinics, where the Health
Visitors are encouraged to arrange displays and exhibits. One such
project featured during April was in support of an immunisation campaign.
With the decline in the incidence of some infant diseases it has
been found that some mothers are neglecting to take advantage of the
immunization services available. For example, Harrow has not had a
case of Diphtheria since 1950, or a death since 1946, and to-day's young
mother, perhaps having no personal knowledge of a case, may become
apathetic.
The Children's Nightdress Regulations 1964 were also featured at
the end of the year. Under these regulations it is an offence to sell a
made-up children's nightdress which is not made of low flammability
material, but the Public Health Committee expressed concern at the
dangers of buying cheap fabrics for making up at home, and the limited
scope of the regulations, as, for example, old people are also vulnerable.
In addition to posters and a press release, local traders were invited to
co-operate in publicity, and one local store devoted valuable window
space to a special display on the subject. The excellent film "Fabrics and
Fireguards" was also obtained for showing in connection with the talks
on Home Safety of which sixteen were given during the year.
Our colleagues in the teaching profession doubtless integrate some
aspects of health into normal teaching subjects, but specialist health
education talks in the Schools are available on request, although with
school time at a premium further demands for space in existing curricula
can only be made at the expense of other subjects considered essential.
Three Secondary Modern, one Secondary Grammar and one private
Grammar School have taken advantage of a series of twelve talks to
girls leaving School interested in careers associated with nursing,
medicine or welfare, which are not so much a programme, more a preparation
for life, embracing such subjects as Mothercraft, personal
hygiene, budgeting, etc. In addition ten talks on environmental or food
hygiene were given to Biology, Domestic Science or Civics classes.
Apart from the special courses mentioned, a total of 93 talks were
given covering all aspects of the Health Department, many of which were
to local women's organisations, youth groups or professional bodies.
At the Delegate Conference in February, the theme of the Health
Department exhibit was Housing and Health which illustrated some of
the improvements in amenities possible under Improvement Grants. The
reduction of overcrowding in Harrow from a peak of 628 cases in 1949
to a figure of 19 in 1963 was also featured, as was the decline in the
incidence of tuberculosis in which improved housing has played, and
must continue to play, an important part. The section on clean air compared
the efficiency of smokeless fuel burned on a modern stove, compared
with smoky domestic coal on an old-fashioned register grate.