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STEPS T.KEN TO COMBAT INFESTATION:
A report on the incidence and treatment of infestation was
included in the annual Report for 194-3 and there is little fresh
to mention this year. Consequently the yellowing is largely a
repetition of the previous report with the necessary alterations
in the statistical figures:-
(1) 11 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, 226.visits were made with an average of
11.9 visits to each school by the School Nurses for
Hygiene Inspections.
During the year 23,380 examinations and re-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 rare. Perhaps the usual type of mother who will.
trouble to take her children to these Clinics will also
take the trouble to see that her children are clean.
(2) At the Day 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 necessar; attention to their
children.
(3) In the schools, 403 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 infested
again. . .
(4) Four cases were referred from Factories in 1944.
Methods, of Dealing, with Cases;
agents used- (1) Durbac Soap and Saqaerre Comb,
(2) Lethane Hair Oil,
The vast majority of the cases were.treated with Durbac
soap and Saquerre comb or some other form of small tooth comb.
Lethane Hair Oil was never extensively used and was
unpopular partly because it did not remove the nits and partly
because the hair was not allowed to be washed for a week after
application of the oil.
(I) M. & C.W. 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 not examined in the Clinic,
as such a course would probably have caused considerable resentment,
but where it was thought to be advisable ??? Health Visitor made a
special visit to the home.