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21
SECTION B.—GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH
SERVICES.
STAFF.
Information with regard to the staff of the department is contained in a statement
on page 7, as required by Ministry of Health Circular 359. During the year a
number of changes took place. On the 15th December, Dr. Anderson relinquished
his position as Tuberculosis Officer and Assistant Medical Officer of Health to take
up an appointment as Deputy Medical Officer of Health of Fifeshire.
On the 1st April, 1938, Mr. A. H. James succeeded Mr. Curtis as Chief Clerk
of the department. The death, on the 20th January, of Mr. William John Howe,
a Principal Assistant, is recorded with great regret. He had served the Council
and their predecessors, the St. Marylebone Vestry, for nearly 39 years. Vacancies
in the clerical staff were filled by the transfer, from other departments of the Council,
of Messrs. D. H. Drewell, H. J. Payne and M. Kelly. Two temporary shorthandtypists
were engaged in connection with the Air Raid Precautions work of the
Department.
In the Maternity and Child Welfare section of Health Centre No. 2, Mr. J. A.
Smith was engaged in January as part-time Dental Surgeon, and Miss Percy, in
April, as part-time chiropodist.
The services of a temporary sanitary inspector were found to be necessary to
relieve Inspectors Scoble and Wilson, upon whom heavy calls were made in connection
with the work of air raid precautions, and Mr. H. Ridler was engaged in this
capacity as from the 2nd May. Miss H. K. Dupont, a health visitor, resigned on
marriage as from the 1st September, and Miss F. H. M. Chapman was appointed
on the 1st November to fill the vacant position.
Miss F. A. Baker, who had served the Council for 37 years and gained the affection
and esteem of her colleagues and a wide circle of friends in the Borough, though
retired from the permanent staff of the Council as from the 22nd March, 1937, continued
duty as a temporary tuberculosis visitor until the 29th January, 1938.
Reluctant to sever her association with the department, Miss Baker then undertook,
in an honorary capacity, work in connection with the Dental and Foot Clinics when
these services were first established as part of the Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme
of the Borough in the early part of the year. The vacancy created by the retirement
of Miss Baker was filled by Miss Pepler, whose appointment took effect on the
3rd January.
Mr. C. J. Kendall, the Senior Disinfector, retired as from the 14th July on the
completion of 40 years' service. He was succeeded by Mr. J. Overton, whose position
as Assistant Disinfector was filled by the appointment of Mr. W. J. Jones.
LABORATORY FACILITIES.
Dr. L. E. H. Whitby, C.V.O., M.C., continues to act as the Council's Bacteriologist.
The work is carried out in the Bland Sutton Institute of Pathology at the Middlesex
Hospital, and details of investigations in relation to (a) the water of the Council's
swimming pools, (b) milk, ice cream and other foods, and (c) infectious disease, are
set forth under the appropriate headings of this report at pages 45, 57, 60 and 82.
Mr. J. F. F. Rowland, B.A., A.I.C., is the Public Analyst for the Borough, and
his laboratory is situated at No. 133, Gloucester Place, N.W.1. A report on the work
done during 1938, together with a statement of food and drugs analysed, will
be found on pages 60—62.
AMBULANCE FACILITIES.
The efficient ambulance service of the London County Council is available in
the Borough for the conveyance of persons suffering from infectious disease, for
cases of accident, sudden illness and for maternity cases. The ambulances of the
County Council may also be utilised, on payment, for private and non-infectious
cases.