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Anthrax.
The Minister of Health suggested that certain orders in force requiring the notification
of infectious diseases should be revoked. In consequence the Council requested the
Minister to revoke the Orders in force in the former Boroughs of Barnes, Richmond
and Twickenham requiring the notification of Anthrax as an infectious disease.
Weekly Newsletter.
A communication is sent out by the health department each week to family doctors,
hospitals and adjacent medical officers of health informing them, amongst other things,
of the number of notifiable diseases reported during the preceding week in the Borough.
This has proved an invaluable means of contact with family doctors and their response
to these newsletters has been most encouraging.

It has been pointed out by Dr. Fluker that the general trend amongst those suffering
from Syphilis is to seek treatment at an earlier stage than in the past. He also points
out that Yaws is tending to be diagnosed more frequently than previously.

Ante-Natal relaxation and post-natal exercises are taught in all the clinics. 627
women made 3,545 attendances at these clinics during the year.
Premature Births.
The weights of all babies are entered on the birth notification cards. Visits to those
babies under 5lbs. 8oz. are made at more frequent intervals and where necessary these
babies are admitted to either the Kingston or West Middlesex Hospitals. These babies
are placed on the "Observation Register" so that they can be clinically examined in
order to detect developmental defects at an early date. If a baby should have a defect,
then surveillance can be maintained to ensure that appropriate comprehensive therapy
can be instituted.
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