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8
infections, which we can now control.
NOTIFICATION OF FOOD POISONING AND DYSENTERY. A
PUZZLE.
In the year ending 31st March 1961, 87 doctors notified
382 cases of food poisoning and dysentery in the borough
of Ilford. However, 195 of these patients, i.e. half, were
notified by two general practitioners only. The strange thing
is that the same two doctors notify a similar proportion of
the cases each year, and for many years each notified and
suspected case has been followed up by this department, and
always there has been sufficient evidence, either by reason
of diarrhoea, or vomiting, or both, to justify a suspicion.
If all doctors practising in Ilford notified us of 95 cases a
year, instead of approximately each (excluding the two
doctors mentioned) the number investigated by us would be
about 8000 instead of 382. We could get a more valid picture
of the state of alimentary infection in the borough, we would
certainly have to increase our staff many times over, but I
have great doubts if the incidence would thereby be substantially
reduced.
INFANT WELFARE CENTRES - STOP OR GO.
Many uninformed members of the medical profession
and some of the laity have expressed a wish to pass a death
sentence on the local authority infant welfare centre. But the
centres won't die; last year there were 38,560 attendances
at Ilford centres as compared with 35,961 the year before.
There is no doubt that ideally each family doctor should be
interested in such work, should have suitable premises and
assistance to carry it out. If such were the case there would
be no problem, no need for legislation, and the Council centres
would fade away. But this is not the case, the majority
of doctors are not interested or cannot do the work, and if
it were made impossible for the Council to carry it out
probably 90% of the mothers would be deprived of such facilities.
Many family doctors throughout the country do give
this service; to show my lack of prejudice and willingness
to help the enthusiast, a Health Visitor is made available
for a general practitioner for his centre at his own surgery,
where Council welfare foods can also be bought; and one
centre (Ilford Lane at St. Alban's Church Hall) might almost
be called a training centre provided for general practitioners
by the local authority, for family doctors who have indicated