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already found to have converted to smokeless appliances in advance of
becoming subject to a smoke control order, and in some areas only 1 in 3
houses applied for a conversion grant. The effectiveness of clean air is
surely demonstrated in the reduction of the dense fogs once common in
London which is now 61 % smokeless.
Following the success of last year's pilot dental health campaign in
schools, a further campaign was held for two weeks in November covering
some 6,000 school children, involving 74 talks to groups of all ages. A
measure of the impact of such a campaign is that, given a free choice of
any subject for their Christmas playlet, the children of one primary school
actually chose dental health as a theme.
The health visitors carried out a continuous programme of health
education in the clinics in respect of ante-natal instruction and relaxation
classes for expectant mothers and mothercraft classes for young mothers.
Fourteen film evenings on childbirth were also arranged for expectant
mothers supported by films on dental care or home safety to which
husbands are also invited to accompany their wives. The husbands often
contribute much to the questions and discussion which follow the films.
Finally the prospective fathers, who are vastly better informed than their
forebears, had their own fathercraft classes at Caryl Thomas Clinic, where
instruction is given in some of the more practical aspects of infant care.
In spite of improvements in techniques of food handling in this
country since the war, statistics in respect of food poisoning outbreaks
are still disappointing, and of these many family outbreaks occur in the
home. One wonders if the British housewife is really food hygiene
conscious. Domestic science classes in schools are the obvious starting
platform for such propaganda and a one day seminar on food hygiene
was organised for domestic.science teachers in Harrow at which the
principal speaker was Dr. Betty Hobbs from the Colindale Laboratories.
Although held on Saturday the course was extremely well attended. A
further inservice training course of eleven lectures on mental illness by Dr.
Hayward, Consultant Psychiatrist at Shenley Hospital was well supported
by the professional and other interested members of the department.
Films of technical or educational interest were also shown at staff meetings.
A comprehensive talks programme is available by speakers from all
sections of the department on any aspect of the health department or their
work. The talks can be arranged during the day or evening for any section
of the community from schools and youth or women's organisations to
pensioners clubs. As examples two of the talks to the latter group were
entitled "Growing Old" and "Health of the Ageing" subjects of growing
significance in an ageing population, and a course for senior scouts was
arranged in preparation for their public health badge. Women's clubs
received talks on food hygiene and home safety. There is no doubt that
these talks apart from their educational content do much for public
relations: again an informed public are more likely to take advantage ot
the services available, an essential contribution if the health service is to
achieve its aims.