August 2023 Group Meeting Report
Despite the various road closures, diversions, monsoon conditions and flooded car park we were pleased to see so many intrepid members and some visitors at our August meeting when our speaker, Carol Harris, presented ‘Expecting The Unexpected – Public Health in WW1 and WW2’. Carol’s breadth of knowledge, wealth of illustrations and her exuberant personality kept us fully absorbed.
To set the scene Carol gave us some background for the establishment of public health bodies. Military leaders were shocked by the poor health of soldiers recruited for The Boar War. It was not hard to find the reasons which included urban overcrowding; pollution; lack of adequate nourishment and poor sanitation. In 1850 John Snow produced evidence that cholera epidemics could originate at public hand pumps and Edwin Chadwick was instrumental in improvements to clean water supply and the setting up of The Local Government Board, forerunner of The Ministry of Health. Several public health services started after the 1906 Act including free school meals; The Ambulance Service; food inspection; anti-natal care; The School Medical Service; distribution of vitamins to combat conditions such as rickets and provision of dispensaries treating tuberculosis.
In 1915 one third of applicants to join The Armed Forces were rejected for not meeting the height requirement of 5’ 5” and expanded chest of 36”. The answer was to set up the Bantam Battalion with lower measurement requirements - the slogan on posters being “Pluck Can Make Up For Inches”. War increased issues such as alcohol consumption and STD’s. The newly formed Women’s’ Wartime Police Force carried out morality checks. If a woman passed an STD onto a man she could be imprisoned for 6 months. The first out- patient clinic treating ‘shell shock’ was set up in Brunswick Square. Pessaries and condoms were available at Marie Stopes Birth Control clinics – but only after providing evidence of married status. Formulating wartime rations was the result of intensive research by chemist, nutritionalist and dietician Elsie Widdowson, Robert McCance and team. Lessons were learnt from the Spanish Civil War so everyone was issued with gas masks, The Emergency Services were formed and the first blood transfusion service was formed. Blood donors were encouraged by posters offering ‘A pint of beer for a pint of blood’. Road traffic accidents increased during the blackout and announcements urged personal hygiene – in air raid shelters one bucket was provided for large numbers of people. There was a poster campaign aimed at children warning of the dangers of collecting ammunition.
Post WW2 rationing of sugar, meat and fats continued. Posters featuring Dr. Carrot urged the eating of vegetables and cod liver oil and orange juice was supplied. There were mass immunisation campaigns widely advertised by The Public Health Service. The Social Insurance and Allied Services Report, produced by William Beveridge in 1942, set out proposals for fighting ‘ the five giants’ - idleness, ignorance, disease, squalor and want and advocated the need for a free national health service, not welcomed by Parliament at the time.
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser
Wednesday 6th September 2023
Coco Chanel - From Pauper to Multi Billionairess. Delia Taylor tells us the life story of this fascinating and complex woman.
Venue - The Alexandra Suite St Mary's Road Swanley BR8 7BU
Doors open 7.00 for 7.30 p.m.
No need to book - everyone is welcome.
Members £2 Visitors £3 Annual membership £5 which includes a monthly newsletter.
The programme is subject to change at short notice should circumstances change.
For further information email [email protected]
Despite the various road closures, diversions, monsoon conditions and flooded car park we were pleased to see so many intrepid members and some visitors at our August meeting when our speaker, Carol Harris, presented ‘Expecting The Unexpected – Public Health in WW1 and WW2’. Carol’s breadth of knowledge, wealth of illustrations and her exuberant personality kept us fully absorbed.
To set the scene Carol gave us some background for the establishment of public health bodies. Military leaders were shocked by the poor health of soldiers recruited for The Boar War. It was not hard to find the reasons which included urban overcrowding; pollution; lack of adequate nourishment and poor sanitation. In 1850 John Snow produced evidence that cholera epidemics could originate at public hand pumps and Edwin Chadwick was instrumental in improvements to clean water supply and the setting up of The Local Government Board, forerunner of The Ministry of Health. Several public health services started after the 1906 Act including free school meals; The Ambulance Service; food inspection; anti-natal care; The School Medical Service; distribution of vitamins to combat conditions such as rickets and provision of dispensaries treating tuberculosis.
In 1915 one third of applicants to join The Armed Forces were rejected for not meeting the height requirement of 5’ 5” and expanded chest of 36”. The answer was to set up the Bantam Battalion with lower measurement requirements - the slogan on posters being “Pluck Can Make Up For Inches”. War increased issues such as alcohol consumption and STD’s. The newly formed Women’s’ Wartime Police Force carried out morality checks. If a woman passed an STD onto a man she could be imprisoned for 6 months. The first out- patient clinic treating ‘shell shock’ was set up in Brunswick Square. Pessaries and condoms were available at Marie Stopes Birth Control clinics – but only after providing evidence of married status. Formulating wartime rations was the result of intensive research by chemist, nutritionalist and dietician Elsie Widdowson, Robert McCance and team. Lessons were learnt from the Spanish Civil War so everyone was issued with gas masks, The Emergency Services were formed and the first blood transfusion service was formed. Blood donors were encouraged by posters offering ‘A pint of beer for a pint of blood’. Road traffic accidents increased during the blackout and announcements urged personal hygiene – in air raid shelters one bucket was provided for large numbers of people. There was a poster campaign aimed at children warning of the dangers of collecting ammunition.
Post WW2 rationing of sugar, meat and fats continued. Posters featuring Dr. Carrot urged the eating of vegetables and cod liver oil and orange juice was supplied. There were mass immunisation campaigns widely advertised by The Public Health Service. The Social Insurance and Allied Services Report, produced by William Beveridge in 1942, set out proposals for fighting ‘ the five giants’ - idleness, ignorance, disease, squalor and want and advocated the need for a free national health service, not welcomed by Parliament at the time.
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser
Wednesday 6th September 2023
Coco Chanel - From Pauper to Multi Billionairess. Delia Taylor tells us the life story of this fascinating and complex woman.
Venue - The Alexandra Suite St Mary's Road Swanley BR8 7BU
Doors open 7.00 for 7.30 p.m.
No need to book - everyone is welcome.
Members £2 Visitors £3 Annual membership £5 which includes a monthly newsletter.
The programme is subject to change at short notice should circumstances change.
For further information email [email protected]