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Diphtheria has been achieved and the results in Merton and
Morden are among the best in the County of Surrey.
Arrangements were put in operation for the treatment
and for home visiting and follow up in cases of Scabies. Since
the Cleansing Centre at Aston Road was opened in September,
1941, 882 cases of Scabies have been treated there.
In November, 1942, the first Day Nursery was opened at
Middleton Road, adjoining the Middleton Road Clinic. This
Nursery is of the prefabricated hut type and designed to
accommodate 60 children.
I would like to take this opportunity of expressing my
appreciation of the contribution to the public Health work
of the district which has been made in increasing measure by
the A.R.P. personnel. Contrary to the belief in many quarters,
a great deal of help is derived from this source, and it would
not be an exaggeration to say that it is only by the existence
of this reserve of workers that it has been possible to carry
out the expansion of the public health activities which has
been necessary during the past 3 years. An example of this is
provided by the cleansing station referred to above. This has
been carried on entirely without assistance from the permanent
nursing staff. Immunisation in the schools, too, has been
carried out without any demands on the time of the health
visitors by a team of nurses attached to the Mobile Unit. In
the propaganda campaign for Diphtheria Immunisation, a large
burden of the house to house visiting was carried out by the
Nursing Auxiliaries at the First Aid Posts, and it was possible
to prepare a register of all children under five years of age
in the district from the Food Office records for that purpose
with their help. The Ambulance Service, too, is staffed entirely
by Civil Defence personnel. Now in addition to these many
activities these A.R.P. Nurses are helping in the Day Nurseries.
This serves to emphasise the value of the work they are doing
and demonstrates that if the scope of public health work
continues as at present after this service is disbanded, a very
considerable increase in permanent staff will be required to
cope with it. In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude
to the Members of the Council for encouragement and
consideration and for that support which must always be the
mainspring of this as all other Council departments.
I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
A. WALLACE JOHNS,
Medical Officer of Health.
August, 1943.
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