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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF
HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1913.
To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the
Corporation of London.
Public Health Department,
Guildhall, E.C.,
25th March, 1914.
Gentlemen,
I beg to submit herewith the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health
for the year 1913, as required by Article 18 of the Local Government Board Order of
December 8th, 1891.
It will be remembered that for the first three months of the period under review
the Department was under the control of Dr. Collingridge, whom I succeeded on
March 25th ; but to avoid unnecessary complications the Report has been prepared
without distinguishing these few months.
The Report contains an account of the vital statistics of the City of London;
information relating to the various conditions which affect the health of persons
resident, or working, within the City; and a fairly complete survey of the action
which it has been found necessary to take, either to remove conditions inimical to
health, or to ensure that adequate safeguards are maintained in respect of matters
for which the City Corporation can be held responsible. These various details are set
out at some length in the different sections into which this Report is divided.
The form of the Report has not been altered except as regards a few Tables
which have been recast in the form required by the Local Government Board.
The earlier months of my tenure of office were chiefly occupied in making those
changes in the organisation which invariably result from a change of Officer.
This work was rendered easier by the orderly state of the Department, and I
desire to express my appreciation of my predecessor's efforts in this direction.
The knowledge of the administrative details possessed by Mr. Lowe, Sanitary
Clerk, were of the greatest service, and from him and other members of the Staff, both
clerical and inspectorial, I received the utmost assistance.
I should also state that I found in Mr. Young and the Staff at the Central Meat
Market most valuable Officers, and through Mr. Young's efforts the change of control
passed practically without notice.
I might here also be allowed to express my thanks to the Sanitary Committee for
their indulgent attitude during the time I was obtaining the knowledge of the details
of the new work, and to the ex-Chairman (Mr. Leo Taylor) for much valuable time
and advice which he so willingly placed at my disposal.