View report page

Health Department,
Town Hall,
Greenwich, S.E.10.
July, 1940.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich.
Madam Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my report for the year 1939,
in accordance with Circular No. 1961 of the Ministry of Health.
This report must be regarded as an interim one. It has been
curtailed at the request of the Ministry of Health in view of the
necessity for economy, and the pressure of work generally.
In June the Department was moved from the temporary
quarters at Devonport House to the new offices in the municipal
portion of the New Town Hall building, the change being effected
with little or no dislocation of the services. Preparations were
well under way for the holding of a Civic Week to coincide with
the official opening of the New Town Hall in September, and it
was hoped to display during that week all the activities of the
health services provided by the Council. It is to be regretted that
in the circumstances it was not possible to carry out the project.
On September 4th, an Emergency Committee of the Council
was formed with power to act for all Committees. From November
a combined Committee was formed with the powers and duties of
the Public Health and Maternity and Child Welfare Committees.
During the year, Air Raid Precautions has demanded great
efforts from every individual in the Department, and as a result
of the devotion to National Service of the staff it is gratifying to
be able to state that at the outbreak of war the allotted number
of First Aid Posts and Stretcher Party Depots were staffed and
equipped, the detailed organisation having been put into practice
beforehand in most cases by a nucleus formed from the staff of the
Department.
The incidence of Infectious Diseases for the year has been well
below the mean and in no case calls for comment. Comparative
Birth and Death rates cannot be given owing to the difficulty of
formulating basic figures for their assessment.
Despite the adverse conditions obtaining throughout the year
the district has been kept under close supervision in regard to
nuisances and sanitary circumstances, and the supervision and