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107
gauge this effectiveness, particularly in America, and the results
in most cases have been inconclusive. A public health department,
with a necessarily restricted budget, cannot hope to compete in any
way with powerful and prosperous commercial interests, (e.g. cigarette
advertising), but until our limited activities have been proved to
be ineffective, it seems clear that on empirical grounds they should
be continued.
Education in Public Groups. — A letter was again circulated to a
number of youth clubs and voluntary organisations, and again the
response was somewhat disappointing. Speakers have been invited
to all the Ilford Rotary Clubs, the Barkingside Inner Wheel Club,
the Women's Co-operative Guild and a Methodist youth club. Youth
clubs present a particularly complicated issue. There is apparently
no point in offering health talks and discussions to all clubs. The
clubs are not geared to receiving the occasional strange speaker in
a formal atmosphere. If there is to be any health education in clubs,
then individual members of the health department must make it their
business to become well acquainted with one or two clubs, and be
eventually accepted as a familiar and friendly visitor. This should
not be a fundamentally proselytising activity — the adult helper at
youth clubs may well learn as much as he or she is able to teach,
but in any event, this sort of health education is beset with manifest
difficulties.
Progress in health education during the past year has been
slow, but on the whole fairly satisfactory. When the new Borough is
operating, activities will doubtless be further consolidated and
extended. The health department now has a very useful nucleus of
visual aids, equipment and speakers. In the next few years we can
expect to engage in the production of short films, filmstrips and
collections of slides to suit particular speakers and to cover particular
topics."
During 1963, 166 lectures on various subjects were given by members
of the medical and health visiting staff and the domestic help organisers
to schools, professional organisations, youth groups and general adult
groups, the total attendances being approximately 4,763. At 34 of the
lectures films were shown.
In addition 332 lectures on "Mothercraft" were given by the health
visitors at their ante-natal relaxation classes at the health services
clinics, a series of 12 lectures constituting each course.
Posters covering varied aspects of Health were displayed at the
Public Health Offices and the health services clinics throughout the year.