Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne.

  • Melbourne (Vic.). Health Committee.
Date:
[1946]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/32 (page 2)
    i During the year the Council, on the Committee’s recommendation, approved of the estab¬ lishment of a baby health centre and kindergarten at the Fawkner Park Kiosk which, when al¬ terations, etc., are completed, will eventually be conducted on the lines of the Lady Huntingfield and Hopetoun Free Kindergartens. It is considered that this centre will be a great acquisition and fulfil a long-felt want for the ratepayers of Albert Ward, as the number of births during 1946 in the City of Melbourne constitutes an all time record, as has been pointed out earlier in this report. In connection with the policy adopted by the Council regarding the extension of kinder¬ gartens and creches in the City, the Committee is watching carefully the position of suitable properties with a view to their acquisition in due time when the extreme housing shortage at present being experienced becomes less acute. The Committee desires to report that the Education Department, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, has under consideration the erection of an adult Educational Centre on the present site of the City Creche, situate the corner of Little Lonsdale Street and Exhibition Street, costing in the vicinity of £100,000, and the Council has been requested to submit plans for incorporation in the master plan being prepared by the Public Works Department of a mod¬ ern creche providing accommodation for 64 children on the ground floor of such building. The maintenance grants made by the Council to kindergartens and creches for the year 1946-47 were the same as for the previous year, viz., £1,000 and £500 respectively. The Committee continued its assistance to parents in indigent circumstances by the supply of milk, the total expenditure being £989/14/8, of which the amount of £363/10/9 was refunded by parents. The number of families needing assistance in the supply of milk and foodstuffs shows a further reduction owing to the improved economic conditions. The total amount expended by the Council on the conduct and maintenance of the child welfare centres in the City of Melbourne during 1946 was £4,548/3/0, of which £1,327/10/0 was contributed by the State Government. Since 1927, the Council has spent £98,751/14/0 on the construction, equipment and main¬ tenance of child welfare centres, kindergartens, and creches. The Committee desires to again record its appreciation of the services of those who have contributed to the carrying out of child welfare work throughout the year, especially by the Com¬ mittees of Management of the Lady Huntingfleld Free Kindergarten and the Hopetoun Free Kindergarten and the voluntary workers in all the other kindergartens, health centres and creches in the City of Melbourne. INFECTIOUS DISEASES The accompanying reports of the Medical Officer of Health and Dr. Hilda Bull show the amount or preventative work carried out against infectious diseases. The outstanding feature of the year was that the incidence of diphtheria in the City was the lowest ever recorded, there being only 34 cases, 16 males and 18 females. This is very grati¬ fying in view of the overcrowding and bad hygiene in many closely populated areas, and it is necessary under the existing conditions to stress the continued need for immunization because, al¬ though the figures are improving, they are still below the safety level. The number of deaths (53) from tuberculosis is again much lower than was the case dur¬ ing last year, which was 72. INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL, FAIRFIELD. The Council’s contribution towards the Queen’s Memorial Infectious Diseases Hospital amounted to £9,957/2/2. The contributions for the past five years were:— 1942 .. 1943 . 1944 1945 . 1946 11,501 7 0 12,001 4 0 12,414 11 4 12,325 10 2 9.957 2 2 FOOD SUPPLIES Systematic inspections of all premises were carried out during the year and a steady im¬ provement was noted in respect of the strict observance of the Regulations. Of the total num¬ ber of milk samples examined by chemical analysis only 6 or 1.8 per cent were found to be below standard, which is well below the average for the preceding five years. The average composition of the samples was very good, the average percentage of fats being 4.3, which is the highest figure yet obtained. The usual bacteriological examination of samples was carried out and 236 samples were ex¬ amined at the Veterinary Research Institute, Melbourne University. They show a slight improve¬ ment on last year, but the condition of the milk was not quite up to the standard achieved before the war.