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10
New Ventures.
(a) B.C.G. Vaccination of school children commenced in 1954. It was
offered to those between their 13th and 14th birthdays. Just under half
accepted. It is interesting to note that according to the tuberculin test,
17%—19% of Ilford children were tuberculin positive, i.e., had been
exposed to tuberculosis before they were tested.
(b) Cerebral Palsy Unit. After many years of negotiations a Cerebral
Palsy Unit has been opened in the summer term of 1955 in the premises of
what was once Stevens Road Day Nursery. At the moment there is only a
nucleus of 9 children who have been transferred from the Open Air School,
but in the autumn term of 1955, it is hoped that the school will be
functioning at its full capacity with its complete staff.
It will of course take children from the surrounding districts as well
as Ilford.
(c) Foot Survey. One of the school medical officers, Dr. O'Connor,
has commenced a survey of the feet of all school children aged 9 years.
This experiment has just started and it is impossible to give any indication
of the final results at the moment. It is aimed, not only at finding early
stages of foot defects, such as hammer toes, bunions and flat feet, but
also to investigate the incidence of inadequate footwear.
Publications.
Four papers have been published by members of the staff in the pas!
year, also the report on the working of the Enuresis Clinic has been
mentioned in a publication of the Ministry of Education, entitled " Health
of the School Child," and we have had a number of enquiries as a result.
Marriages.
It will be noted that statistics no longer appear with respect to the
number of marriages solemnised within the Borough; this is because the
Registrar General has decided not to supply us with this information any
more. These figures have some Public Health value, in that an indication
is given as to the possible future requirements of the Maternity and Child
Welfare Services, although this must not be exaggerated. Nevertheless it
is very annoying that a community can be told from a central source that
it will not be given in future certain social data of some importance. This
kind of thing will happen as long as the office of the Local Registrar of
Births, Deaths and Marriages does not come under the supervision of the
Local Authority.
Reports of Specialists and other officers will be found in the body of
the report.
I wish once more to thank those who have helped me during the past
year, my staff who, as always, have given first-class service, and I wish to
acknowledge the full co-operation of the Chief Officers and their staffs
in other Departments; the Ilford Federation of Women Voluntary Welfare
Workers, the Ilford Social Service Association and the Women's Voluntary
Services have all helped us greatly and their continued co-operation is
much appreciated. I would like to express my thanks to the Members of
the Council, especially to the Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and Members of
the Committees and Sub-Committees of the Ilford Borough Council and
Essex County Council with whom I work.
I have the honour to be
Your obedient servant,
I. GORDON,
Medical Officer of Health.