View report page

HEALTH EDUCATION
The importance of never ceasing education of the public in matters of hygiene was
high-lighted in 1964 when Aberdeen, one of the cleanest cities in the country, was disgraced
by an outbreak of typhoid fever. Although the blame for the original infection has
now been allocated to the faulty washing habits of canning factory workers in a foreign
country in which corned beef had been tinned, and subsequently sent to this country for
sale, it is clear that the second and third waves of infected cases need not have occurred
if perfect hygiene had been maintained in the households containing primary cases, or
in the canteens, restaurants, or other food establishments where food was handled.
For years, emphasis has been placed on the importance of washing the hands before
touching food or food utensils; an excellent habit practised ritually by the Indian members
of our community. By this means, the spread of all intestinal diseases could probably be
prevented absolutely, yet still at this present time regular hand-washing is more notable
for its omission than for its performance.
Facilities for washing the hands are still not readily available in public places, and
efforts to remedy this continue unceasingly. It will be seen that some improvement was
obtained in the provision of hand-washing facilities for public conveniences and schools
during the year but much more needs to be done, and under the Food and Drugs Regulations
new provisions in restaurants, public houses and other places of community association
were asked for in 1964, while the new Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act is
likely to produce better washing facilities in such places where workers are likely to eat
meals or food brought from their homes.
The principal sources of supply of health education material are the Central Council
for Health Education, the Royal Society of Health, and the Central Office of Information.
Projector slides and cinema films are prepared by quite a large number of private companies,
and Government bodies, and sometimes by local authorities direct, on important
subjects, and these are used from time to time to accompany talks to organisations or to
school children. Of recent months, short health education features have been increasingly
presented on B.B.C. television at a useful time in the evening when most people have
reached their homes and have not yet had to leave for evening engagements.
In January, 1964, the Central Council for Health Education held a Conference, the
subject this year being "Community Health". In addition, a four-day Seminar for Medical
Officers of Health was held by the same authority in February on the subject of "Occupational
Health". During this Seminar, visits were arranged to factories with really upto-date
methods of sanitation for the workers whether on the plant or in the office. The needs
for the most hygienic methods of hand drying and the proper placing of hand basins in
sanitary conveniences or in work rooms were discussed. A bacteriological investigation of
methods of hand drying favours the use of the hot air means for drying, or the individual
paper towel since even the continuous roller towel using one section for each person could
be subject to carelessness in handling. At these Seminars it is always possible to learn
about the recent advances in health education methods, and in addition, Medical Officers
of Health are able to share information on health education methods as applied in each
district. This is a very useful interchange of ideas, for instance in the previous year's
Seminar a demonstration of the great possibilities of health education in local television
circuits when they shall become country-wide was fully demonstrated by closed circuit
viewing at the actual Conference. Local television has yet to come in this neighbourhood.
35