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Convalescence.
The arrangements for the provision of convalescence in cases where no active
medical or nursing care is neoessary were again fully used during the year, 14.6 adult
persons being recommended for recuperative holidays, an increase of 14 over the previous
year.
The sources of reference were:-
General Praotitioners 96
Hospitals 24
Chest Clinic 20
Other 6
Of the initial recommendations, 23 were withdrawn, either by the patient or the
referring agency, before consideration by the Council's medical offioer; and of the 123
thus reviewed, 89 applications were approved, 27 were not approved, 5 referred to the
Chief Welfare Officer, and 2 were referred for action under the Maternity & Child Welfare
Scheme. Of the 89 approved, 14 vere withdrawn for various reasons leaving 75 whom
convalescence was arranged.
The procedure for assessment of the financial circumstances of each applicant in
accordance with the Council's scale, continued as in previous years.

In addition to the above, 17 children under the age of 15 years were sent to
convalescent homes following recommendation by the Chest Physician as part of the
preventive care and after care of tuberculosis patients.
Details of the convalescence provided for mother and young children and for school
children will be found on pages 55 - 56, and 138 - 139 respectively.
Health Education.
Talks, supplemented by film strips, sound films, posters, models, etc., were
given on a variety of health subjects to parents and others at the various clinics and
centres during the year. Request for lectures were also received from interested
organisations in the Borough.
Senior members of the department have taken part in the instruction of D.P.H.
students, student health visitors, student sanitary inspectors and nursery students. Lectures
were given to student nurses in the block training schemes run by the West Ham Group Hospital
Management Committee and Whipps Cross Hospital. Their syllabus inoludes instruction in the
social aspects of disease and requires both lectures and practical demonstrations of the
Local Authority Services. It is a most valuable development in the training of the nursing
profession and helps the students to understand the linking up of the medical care of the
patient before and after his stay in hospital.
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