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sunlight is of little value, the majority of children cannot receive
enough natural irradiation for optimum growth and health. Before
the war certain food substances, like dairy produce and eggs, canned
salmon, herrings, sardines and chocolate, all of which contain considerable
quantities of Vitamin D (the product of irradiation) were
consumed as food. But these are now in very limited supply. Cod
liver oil, etc., which contains the natural Vitamin D (derived originally'
from sunlight) is provided for all children to make up to some extent
for deficient sun irradiation. But it is known that many children
either do not take it or get it in amounts that are quite inadequate.
Irradiation by special lamps (arc lamp, mercury vapour lamp, etc.)
is used as a substitute for the sun's rays to an increasing extent for
Child Welfare Centres and the value of this artificial sunlight as an
aid to health is now well recognised. Solaria are preventive health
institutions designed for group irradiation of 12 or more children
simultaneously and differ materially from the arrangements provided
in hospitals for the irradiation of single cases requiring special curative
treatment. Beddington and Wallington has now come into line with
other progressive health authorities and the Solarium referred to in
last year's report is an unqualified success.
During this first full year that the Solarium has been in operation
717 individual patients had received treatment and there had been a
total of 8,648 attendances.