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81
HEALTH EDUCATION
In March the staff of the Central Council for Health Education conducted
two one-day courses in Methods and Techniques in Health Education here in the
Town Hall; twenty-one members of the staff of the department attended the
first day course and twenty the second day. These courses were most successful
and were greatly appreciated by the staff.
The Senior District Sanitary Inspector, Mr. R. L. Apperley, attended the
annual residential summer school in health education conducted by the Central
Council at Bangor, North Wales, from 17th to 27th August.
Following the general recommendations approved by the Public Health Committee
and set out in last year's annual report, a moderate beginning has been
made on a continuous programme of health education. Early in the year a
number of organisations were informed that a panel of speakers was available to
talk to meetings on a wide range of subjects connected with the various aspects
of health education. Eight took advantage of this offer and talks were given
by various members of the staff on housing, food hygiene, and the health
services generally. An invitation from the Honorary Secretary of the Hackney
and District Grocers and Allied Trades Association for a member of the staff to
address their members on food hygiene was gladly accepted. The talk was given
by one of the food inspectors and some eighty members of the Association
attended.
Two imposing permanent glass display cabinets were purchased during the
year. They stand in a prominent position adjacent to the Public Health Section
of the Town Hall and facing the rear entrance. They are equipped with internal
strip lighting and have made possible attractive displays on a variety of
subjects relevant to health education. The topic for display has been changed
at intervals of roughly one month, and the subjects covered included the
following:-
Food and Drugs. Specimens indicating the work of the department in preventing
diseased, unsound and adulterated foodstuffs being sold to the public.
Food Hygiene Panels, posters and photographs emphasizing the importance
of the hygienic handling of food by both manufacturers and housewives. The
North Thames Gas Board were most co-operative in providing panels showing the
importance of an adequate supply of hot water and of hand-washing in the
handling of food.
Housing. Models and photographs displayed showed the contrast between
houses in old slum clearance areas and the modern houses and flats which have
replaced the unfit houses.
Clean Air. Various panels and models displayed, including stonework from
the Houses of Parliament loaned by the National Smoke Abatement Society, effectively
showed the deleterious effects of atmospheric pollution. The Solid
Smokeless Fuels Federation also provided panels, and a local builders' merchant
kindly loaned different types of modern firegrates.
Old People's Welfare. Photographs of the work carried on by the Geriatric
Department of the Hackney Hospital in connection with the rehabilitation of
aged persons formed the background to a comprehensive display of articles made
in that department and revealed the skill possessed by these old people when
given the necessary encouragement and facilities.
Infectious Diseases. A series of photographs and posters dealt with
various aspects of the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including
the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.