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CONTROL OF HEAD-LICE
Ministry of Health Circular 2811, July/43
& Memo 230A
Med.
This matter has always been given great attention in
this Borough and the fight against these pests was
intensified in the first instance by the circulars sent out
by the Ministry on Typhus and again by the above circular.
(1) All children, especially 2-5 age groups are inspected
by the Health Visitors at the Maternity and Child
Welfare Clinics.
(2) All children attending Day Nurseries are examined for
nits each day on admission.
(3) At the schools an average of 15.3 visits were made to
each school by theSchool Nurses for Hygiene Inspections.
During the year 16,472 examinations were made.
(4) Cases referred: from factories; etc.,
Findings at these Inspections.
(1) At the M & C W. Clinics any degree of contamination was
very rate. Perhaps the usual type of mother who will
trouble to take her children to these Clinics will also
take the trouble to see that their children are clean.
(2) At the Bay Nurseries, especially the war-time Nurseries,
the incidence of infestation was higher. In these cases
the mothers, being engaged in Factory work etc., had less
time and leisure to pay the necessary attention to their
children.
(3) In the schools 318 children were found to have nits. The
majority of these were cases of very mild infestation,
but there were a few who were always found to have nits and
who after cleansing thoroughly quickly became infected again.
(4) No cases were referred from Factories in 1943.
Methods of Dealing with Cases.
Agents used - (1) Durbac Soap and Sacca comb
(2) Lethane Hair Oil.
The vast majority of the cases were treated with Durbac
soap and Sacca comb or some other form of small tooth comb.
Lethane Hair Oil wrs never extensively used and was
unpopular partly because it die not remove the nits and partly
because the hair was not allowed to be washed for a week after
application of the oil.
(l) M & C.W Clinic Cases.
As mentioned the cases were few and mild and the
infestation was quickly remedied by the mothers themselves who
willingly used the treatment advised by the Health Visitors.
The mothers of these children were net examined in the
Clinic as such a course would probably have caused considerable
resentment, but where it was thought to be advisable the