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HEALTH EDUCATION
The education of the public in matters of health and hygiene seems to become a more
and more important part of preventive work every year. It is difficult for the individual
to avoid dangers about which he has no knowledge, and as preventive medicine is an ever
changing subject, unless information on new hazards to health, and on the discoveries of
the means of preventing disease, is spread to the public who need the protection, then the
ideal state of perfect health in a community cannot be attained. For instance, those living
in Southall in the year 1875 needed to be told constantly of the dangers of polluted drinking
water and polluted food as a source of cholera infection, whereas in 1955 it is the responsibility
of the Local Authority to ensure that there is a pure supply of drinking water and that
food cannot be polluted with cholera germs. In 1875 it was not realised how easily self
contamination or the contamination of others with the germs of food poisoning could be
prevented by the lack of personal hygiene particularly in washing, and that knowledge
needs to be passed on now in 1955; only individuals (by their personal cleanliness) can
help protect the community from food poisoning, no Local Authority will ever be able to
do this for them. Other diseases have faded away because of the spread of hygienic
methods in this country, yet the same diseases may be widespread in other parts of the
world. The ease of communication between the different countries of the world has one
unfortunate result, in that diseases formerly confined to tropical and sub-tropical countries
may be brought into Great Britain, if constant care and watchfulness, and the education
in health matters of the population and also of immigrants, are not maintained. The
most valuable method of health education remains, and probably will continue to remain,
word of mouth information from person to person, and this goes on constantly wherever
the Health Department staff may be.
During the year posters were displayed on the public notice boards on subjects of health
interest and leaflets issued by the Central Council of Health Education on various subjects
were made available free of charge at the Council's various offices and the Libraries.
Hanging cards advertising Immunisation against Diphtheria were supplied to the general
practitioners for use in their waiting rooms. Talks were given to Associations on health
subjects, sometimes accompanied by the use of film strips or the flannelgraph as visual
aids.
At the request of the North Thames Gas Board, a public meeting was arranged at
which short speeches were made by the Mayor, the Chairman of the Public Health
Committee, the Medical Officer of Health, and the Chief Sanitary Inspector, on Atmospheric
Pollution and its dangers, and the film " Guilty Chimneys " was shown with in addition
short films on other health topics. This meeting was attended by about 90 people, many
of whom represented large voluntary organisations, and much interest was shown in the
matters discussed.
Health Forum
In February, a public meeting was arranged in the form of a Health Forum, and the
general public was invited to attend and submit questions on any matters of health to a
panel consisting of the Director of the Central Council of Health Education, Chairman of
the Uxbridge Group Hospital Management Committee, a Council member of the Public
Health Committee and the Medical Officer of Health. About 70 members of the public
attended, many of whom were representing local organisations and, after short speeches
from the members of the panel, questions were raised and answered. The discussion was
very lively.
ROAD SAFETY
The rising number of accidents on the roads resulting in loss of life or in some form of
physical disability whether greater or smaller becomes an increasing matter of concern all
over the country, particularly as so many of the victims are children or young people.
In Southall there were 7 deaths from road accidents, none of these were children,
but in addition there were 356 persons injured in road accidents, 55 of whom were children.
The classification of the casualties is as follows:—
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