[Report 1943] / Medical Officer of Health, Brighouse Borough.

  • Brighouse (England). Council. nb2008024084.
Date:
1943
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1943] / Medical Officer of Health, Brighouse Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    f TABLE 9. Visits paid by the Health Visitors in 1942 and 1943. _ 1942 1943 Visits to New Births ... 401 436 Visits to Still Births 10 4 Visits to Children under 1 year 933 987 Visits to Children 1 to 5 years 2213 1216 Visits to Expectant Mothers ... 102 64 Total ... 3659 2707 SPECIAL CLEANLINESS INSPECTIONS. In July, 1943, the Ministry of Health asked Welfare Authori- ties to assist mothers and young children in the promotion of cleanliness and good habits and the elimination of verminous con- ditions. It was suggested that Health Visitors, Midwives and all whose duty it is to advise expectant mothers should lose no oppor- tunity of impressing upon them the importance of freedom from vermin in addition to other matters affecting their health. As regards children under five it was suggested that Health Visitors should include the examination of children’s heads (though not the cleansing) as part of their work both in the homes and in the clinics. The importance of making clear to the adolescent girl how regular washing and daily brushing and combing of the hair can give a better appearance than elaborate hair-dressing was also stressed. Health Visitors were immediately instructed to give par- ticular attention to cleanliness wherever and whenever they could, including advice to adolescent girls. Very little could, however, be done regarding the latter group as so many are at work and the Health Visitors, whose duties are already onerous, were not asked to make evening visits. Midwives were asked to take any oppor- tunity they could to examine for head infestation in the course of their work where they thought such examination likely to be neces- sary. A supply of the insecticide Lethane Head Oil (384-special) is kept at the Welfare Centres. The results of these examinations and the number of special home visits regarding cleanliness are recorded below.