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Miss Smith finds the bad tooth which is the cause of the trouble


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Showing Miss Smith examining the teeth of a young African boy. The photograph is part of a series of British Official photographs (Crown Copyright Reserved) issued under the general title 'A health visitor in Africa'. The following typewritten caption is stuck on the reverse: 'For ten years Sister Smith, qualified nurse and health visitor trained at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, has made the journey every morning from her home at Muthaiga on the outskirts of Nairobi Makongeni six miles out on the plain. Sister Smith sees the ante-natal cases in the morning of whom there may be twenty or more. She has a chat with them about various things - why the doctor constantly tells them to drink plenty of water - when they should keep their houses clean and get rid of files[?flies] - until the lady doctor arrives. Attached to the centre is a sewing class where an African woman teaches the woman to cut and make simple garments. As materials are very expensive only americani (unbleached calico) is used with trimmings of odd piece of coloured prints which Sister Smith collects from her friends. The women are taught the cost of the materials where to buy and how to judge the quality and texture. There are other centres in Nairobi beside Makongeni where men and women are working to improve the living conditions of the African. Siset[sic] Smith sees a great change for the better in the ten years she herself has been doing this work. A day in the life of a public Health Worker'. The photograph is dated '1940s' in the original typescript catalogue.

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Publisher

Royal Commonwealth Society Library. Cambridge University Library. University of Cambridge.

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