[Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Nantyglo U.D.C.

  • Nantyglo and Blaina (Wales). Urban District Council.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Nantyglo U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/22 (page 9)
    clothing, gooil tlry houses, and care of the teeth are essential —especially the latter. Teeth. A dentist visits the local hospital weekly. Last year 990 persons received advice or treatment, and 3,490 teeth were ex- tracted, Ordinary care of tlie teeth will go a long way to prevent rheumatism, stomach trouble, nervous disorders, fevers, unhealthy tonsils, sore throat, boils, etc. Ancients used a chew-stick about the size of a pencil, with one end in a fibrous condition. It was used with an up-and-down motion, so that the fibers would penetrate the crevices. This also massaged the gums. The best tooth brushes are made of wild hogs bristles (about 500 different types are on the market of all shapes and sizes) with open or ventilated backs through which air' circulates when not in use. They are much more sanitary and easily cleaned. A tooth brush that is used regularly soon acquires an unpleasant odour and taste from decayed organic matter collected at the roots of the bristles. Brushes should be cleaned regularly. Pit-Head Baths. As this district is mainly a coal-mining one I would like to point out the necessity for pit-head baths. The system has been adopted in America, on the Continent and 'at home with great success. A question that affects the welfare of the miner, and the comfort and cleanliness of his home and family, must be one of far reaching importance. Many houses are not equipped with bathing facilities, which means that the miner has to bathe in the living room in the presence of his family. Perhaps the present unsettled time is rather inopportune to mention this, but when peace and prosperity reach the mining industry I hope to see pit-head baths ill operation in Blaina and Nantyglo. “ Health and good humour are to the human body like sunshine to vegetation.” Lectures on venereal disease were delivered during the year by the County Medical Staff and were well attended. Poor Law Relief. The relief scale for 1925 was 10/- man, 10/- wife, and 6/- each child to a maximum of £l 18s. Gd. Altogether £73,380 10s. 4d. was expended on relief.