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6
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."
To the Chairman and Members of the
EDMONTON URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL.
Gentlemen,
I have the pleasure of presenting you with my ninth Annual Report of the
health and sanitary circumstances of Edmonton. It refers to the year 1914.
The Senior Woman Inspector (Miss Hudson) has passed the examination
of the Sanitary Inspectors' Board, and Mr. Harold Dyer, the School Medical
Clerk, obtained the certificate as Sanitary Inspector from the Royal Sanitary
Institute a week after he had attained his 21st birthday, and so was eligible for
the examination.
On June 18th, 1914, at the House of Commons in Committee of Supply,
when the vote of £192,356 for the salaries and expenses of the Local Government
Board was being considered, Mr. Herbert Samuel, then President of the.
Local Government Board, said:—
" The Government are of opinion, that it is of importance to the efficient
administration of the health laws of the country that all Medical Officers of
Health should have a proper degree of security of tenure, and I am contemplating
the issue of a new General Order which will make use of the powers
the Board possesses for securing this admirable object."
About the same time the President repeated this view to a very influential
deputation of laymen and Medical Officers of Health, but the cloud of war
burst shortly afterwards and nothing has been done.
The following extract from Mr. J. M. M'Lachlan's book on "Urban
District Councils," is worthy of a place here, as he writes from long municipal
experience, and was the Chairman of the Levenshulme Urban District
Council, 1908-9.
"Let me utter a word of warning to 'reformers' who gain entrance
to the Council, and bait rhe officials under the impression that
they are fulfilling a public service in so doing. It will be many
years before we grow out of the truly British habit of regarding
public officials as our natural enemies. To the newcomer I
whisper, ' Don't do it!'
"I have had many intimate dealings with Council officials of all
grades, and I say without hesitation that, considered as a class,
they compare favourably with any other class of employe. They
are men who would rather do their duty than shirk it. Unfortunately,
the business interests of some of their employers—the
Councillors—render rigid adherence to duty a matter of personal
risk to themselves. (It is not every inspector who dare report
Councillor—'s property as being insanitary). And whenever
an official discerns among his ' masters ' one who will stand by
him in the doing of his public duty, he can be of great assistance
to that Councillor.
" Help your officials, and they will help you."
I accept this annual opportunity of recording my high appreciation of the
good work done for Edmonton by Mr. Butland and other members of my staff
(indoor and outdoor). They have done their utmost, under unusual conditions,
to uphold the reputation of the Department and to maintain and improve the
health of the public.
The cordial co-operation of my colleagues, the Heads of the other Departments,
and the courtesy of all the Council's officials are in the grateful remembrance
of
SIDNEY C. LAWRENCE,
Medical Officer of Health.
July 27th, 1915.