View report page

5
to the children themselves and, indeed, improvement in the health
of the children admitted to the nurseries has been consistently noted.
The Council has the services of a Superintendent Matron who has
long experience in the management of nursery children and whose
enthusiasm appears to be limitless. Under her guidance the staffs
of the various nurseries are performing very excellent work.
The work of sanitary inspection has been carried on by a
reduced number of sanitary inspectors and they have dealt with an
increased number of complaints of housing defects as compared with
pre-war years. Labour difficulties and shortage of building
materials combined with other war-time circumstances have resulted
in a general deterioration of the condition of houses with a resultant
increased call upon the assistance of the Department in securing
necessary repairs.
Details are given in the Report of the steps taken to combat
the increased incidence of scabies and verminous conditions, and the
increased accommodation at the Cleansing Station was in very
active use throughout the year under review. I must again express
my appreciation of the work of the nurse in charge of tlhe Cleansing
Station and of the two First-Aid Post nursing auxiliaries who have
voluntarily given such splendid assistance to the paid staff of the
Cleansing Station.
The Civil Defence Casualty Services which operate under the
direction of the Public Health Department have not, fortunately,
had the calls upon them which were such a severe trial in 1941,
but full advantage has been taken of the respite to enlarge and
intensify their training and state of preparedness for action. The
personnel have also given valuable assistance in various directions
outside their normal functions as, for instance, in toy-making for
the war-time day nurseries and in doing odd jobs in the nurseries
which are beyond the powers of the nursing and domestic staffs.
Throughout the year I have received the support of the Chairmen
and members of the Public Health and Maternity and Child
Welfare Committees, and I am grateful for this support which has
been invaluable to me in carrying on under very difficult circumstances.
All the members of my staff, both permanent and
temporary, have carried out tlheir duties conscientiously throughout
the year and I place on record my appreciation of their efforts.
' G. H. DART,
Medical Officer of Health.