London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1922

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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50
ADMINISTRATION.
In addition to the record of work under each of the preceding headings of this report, it will
be useful to submit a summary of certain of the main branches of Public Health administration.
STAFF OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Medical Officers.—In 1921, the Medical Officer of Health was appointed Administrative
Tuberculosis Officer under the Council's scheme for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis,
and the Tuberculosis Officers at the North and South Kensington Dispensaries were appointed
Assistant Medical Officers of Health for the purpose of the Tuberculosis Regulations.
Male Sanitary Inspectors.—The staff in 1922 consisted of one Chief Sanitary Inspector
and ten district Inspectors.
The Chief Sanitary Inspector undertook the supervision of the work of the district Sanitary
Inspectors and assisted the Medical Officer of Health in special inquiries.
Unfortunately, Mr. G. M. Pettit, who has held the position of Chief Sanitary Inspector in
the Borough with distinction for 24 years, was absent owing to illness for the last eight months of
the year. The Council have acceded to Mr. Pettit's desire to retire from office on the 31st March,
1923, and have passed a resolution expressing their appreciation of the valuable work he has performed
in the Borough during his long service. The vacancy created will not be filled.
For the purposes of sanitary inspection the Borough is divided into ten districts, one of
which is allotted to each of the ten male Sanitary Inspectors, who carry out duties under the
Public Health Act, the Housing Acts, 1890-1919, the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, the Rag Flock
Act, 1911, the London County Council (General Powers) Acts and, so far as men's factories
and workshops are concerned, under the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901.
During the year Inspector T. W. Forbes left the service of the Council and Inspector H. J.
Green was appointed to take his place.
A summary of the work of the Inspectors will be found in Tables VI and VIa of the
Appendix.
Women Health Officers—There are nine ladies appointed as Women Health Officers.
Seven are engaged in the work of visiting mothers of the poorer classes and advising them in
the care and management of their infants, in visiting cases of ophthalmia in newly-born infants
and in assisting with the work of the seven Infant Welfare Centres. They also devote a portion
of their time to the inspection of factories and workshops where women are employed, and in
visiting cases of measles, whooping cough and consumption. Two Women Health Officers
(Miss Hargrave and Miss Haycock) are employed on in-door work at the Dispensary.
During the year Miss N. T. F. de Chaumont, on medical advice, tendered her resignation.
Miss de Chaumont was one of the first ladies in the Country to hold the office of Sanitary Inspector
under a Local Authority, having held this position in Kensington since 1896. She performed
splendid pioneer work during the whole of her long and faithful service.
The vacancy created by Miss de Chaumont's resignation was filled by the appointment of
Miss E. M. Law.
Dispensary Staff.—On January 1st, the date on which the Council assumed control of the
Tuberculosis Dispensary, there were added to the staff of the Public Health Department (1) Dr.
Picard, the Tuberculosis Officer for North Kensington, (2) Miss Haycock, a trained nurse and
dispenser, previously engaged at the Dispensary and (3) the caretaker of that institution and his
wife.
Two of the nurses engaged by the Voluntary Dispensary Committee resigned at the end of
1921. When the Council took over the Dispensary, the duties of one of these nurses were distributed
amongst the Council's Women Health Officers, and Miss Hargrave, Women Health
Officer of the Bramley Road area, was transferred to the Dispensary to perform the duties hitherto
carried out by the other nurse.
When the Borough Tuberculosis Care Committee was constituted, in November, 1922, Miss
Hargrave received the additional appointment of Secretary to the Committee.
Mrs. Neve was appointed by the Council to take the place of Miss Hargrave in the Bramley
Road area.
Clerical Staff.—There are five clerks and a shorthand-typist.
Other Staff.—There are:—
(a) Four disinfectors, including a man who acts as engineer.
(b) A Mortuary Keeper.
(c) A sanitary labourer who assists in drain testing.
(d) A Superintendent and Matron of the Medicinal Baths.
(e) A man employed as a Rat Officer.
Particulars of the staff as required by the Ministry of Health Circular No. 359, dated 10th
January, 1923, appear in Table 9 of the Appendix.