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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1954 5
reliable answer can be provided. We are, however, fortunate in being
enabled to participate in an investigation of this kind in conjunction
with the staff of the Medical Research Council. A special team of
nurses and clerical staff is available and the giving of the injections
is a responsibility of the personal health services. By the participation
of the Borough Health Department, a considerable advantage accrues
to the investigation since we are able to utilize administrative services
such as transport for taking specimens quickly to the Laboratory,
and the ready access of certain records is also very useful. My senior
medical colleagues and I supervise the team of workers in the field,
while at the same time we work in close conjunction with the medical
staff of the Medical Research Council and the local general practitioners,
and we hope that in the course of a year or two we shall be
able to give an answer to this important question.
I would not wish to end this introduction to my Report for 1954
without saying something about Mr. A. E. Vickers, Chief Sanitary
Inspector for Wandsworth. Mr. Vickers was due to retire from the
service of the Council in December 1954, but by an extension of his
services, he continued with us until July 1955. Mr. Vickers joined
the staff of the Wandsworth Public Health Department in 1915, and,
apart from his war service with the R.A.M.C. in the first World War,
he has been in the service of the Council since that date. He has been
successively District Sanitary Inspector, Senior Sanitary Inspector
and Chief Sanitary Inspector, and has given long years of loyal,
unstinted and most efficient service to the Council. My own personal
debt to Mr. Vickers is a very considerable one for when I took up my
appointment, he placed all his knowledge of public health work in
general and his knowledge of Wandsworth in particular, at my
disposal. I was very glad to take advantage of his assistance and
advice. Mr. Vickers will unquestionably be greatly missed, not only
by his Departmental colleagues but by the members of the Health
Committee and indeed of the Council. He leaves with an abundance
of good will from everybody and best wishes for a long, happy and
fruitful retirement.
Once again it is a great pleasure to acknowledge the kindness and
help which I have received from all persons concerned with the work
of my department. Again, I especially thank the Chairman of the
Health Committee, Councillor T. V. Rowlands, for his courtesy and
ready assistance; and the various Committees, particularly the
Health Committee, with whose work I am concerned, for their
continued confidence. The Chief Officers of the Council, and not
least Major Jerman, the Town Clerk, have been very helpful to me,