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Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Marylebone Road, N.W.I.
16th May, 1924.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough
of St. Marylebone.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour, as Medical Officer of Health, to submit my Annual
Report on the health of the Borough of St. Marylebone. In accordance with
the instructions of the Ministry of Health I have contented myself with
making it little more than a chronicle of the principal happenings and
statistical information of the year. In the body of the report any matters
that appeared to be of importance have been commented upon and there is
nothing that I desire to draw particular attention to here.
This year, perhaps, more than in previous years, I have reason to do
more than merely formally thank the Public Health Committee and the two
members (Mr. Alderman J. Fettes and Mr. Alderman Rickatson) who have
presided over it. It was largely owing to the view taken of my request for
leave of absence by the Committee and the two gentleman I have named
that the Council was pleased to allow me to accept the invitation of the
Health Section of the League of Nations to visit the United States and
study the system of public health administration in vogue there. That
during my absence I had not one moment of anxiety so far as the work of
the department was concerned, as indeed, the reports I received assured
me I need not, and was proved to me when on my return after nearly five
months' absence I found all matters in perfect order, was no less due to the
Committee, their interest in the work and their willingness to assist the
workers. To the staff also it is something more than formal words of thanks
I have to offer and I would ask them to believe that I do most highly
appreciate the excellent work they did and the loyalty with which they
carried on. Dr. Jameson, the Deputy Medical Officer of Health, who took
my place throughout the period of my absence, despite other calls upon
him, devoted himself unsparingly to the work and increased the esteem
and regard in which he is held by the Committee and the department alike.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
CHARLES PORTER,
Medical Officer of Health.