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6
Public Health Department,
33-35, Lancaster Grove,
Belsize Park,
Hampstead, N.W.3.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit to you my Annual Report upon the
state of the public health in the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead
for the year 1939. This report is the thirty-ninth of the series, and it
has been curtailed and materially shortened in pursuance of the
instructions of the Ministry of Health.
In January, 1939, the Council decided upon the Five-Years' Programme
of Capital Expenditure to which special consideration had
been given in view of Circular No. 1687, dated the 6th May, 1938,
from the Minister of Health; which referred to the desirability of
preparing a survey of prospective works involving capital expenditure.
In the preparation of this programme certain considerations applied,
including the arrival in an order of priority of capital works conditioned
by consideration of their relative urgency : Air Raid Precautions
were, accordingly, given precedence, and the duties in this
connection have, therefore, been given priority over all other activities
of the Department. In so far as they relate to Casualty Services
they are dealt with on the next page of this report. It was
agreed that Housing and Health services should receive relatively
early consideration, and the programme was arranged so as to secure
that Housing should come after Air Raid Precautions, with Infant
Welfare Centres and the Tuberculosis Dispensary third. The two
housing schemes, i.e., those at New End and at Garnett Road, providing
a total of 46 dwellings for relief of overcrowding were included
in the programme, and provision was also made for an expenditure
sufficient to cover the provision of 150 dwellings, in addition to the
New End and Garnett Road schemes. These matters are further
referred to in the Housing Section of this report. Provision was
inserted for three welfare centres in the Swiss Cottage, Hillfield Road
and Lisburne Road areas respectively, with the addition of tuberculosis
dispensary accommodation in conjunction with the Swiss Cottage
Scheme. The outbreak of the War unfortunately checked the development
of these Social Services.
Staff.
In view of the additional duties arising out of Air Raid Precautions,
the Council on the 27th April, 1939, agreed to the appointment
of Dr. Marjorie Yule as a temporary part-time Medical Officer in the
Department of the Medical Officer of Health in connection with Air
Raid Precautions work. The resolve to make this appointment,