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5
To the Chairman and Members of the Edmonton Urban District Council.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have much pleasure in presenting my Report for the year 1935 on the
sanitary circumstances, the sanitary administration and vital statistics of the
Urban District of Edmonton, containing in addition some aspects of future
re-organisation already adopted by this Council.
The contents are compiled in accordance with Circular 1492 issued by the
Ministry of Health.
Doctor H. W. Harding relinquished office on 31st May and I commenced
duties on 1st June, 1935. I wish every happiness to Dr. Harding in his
retirement.
A Special Report was presented to the Council on 19th December, 1935,
embodying some fundamental points for re-organisation and for increasing
the scope of the Medical Services.
Judging by the eager manner in which Members of the Council debated
this Report it must be said that they gave evidence of their anxiety to do
everything in their power for the youth of their district. It is true that the
Report was clear cut and concise and therefore gave little cause for comment.
At this juncture I would like to emphasise the very valuable assistance
which I received from individual members of the Ministry of Health. I was
further influenced by a Report issued by the Ministry of Health, dated 11th
September, 1935, relative to a survey of the district.
In compliance with a suggestion contained therein, amalgamation of the
Maternity and Child Welfare and School Medical Staff was proceeded with.
This necessitated training two of the School Nurses, Miss Hazelton and Miss
Garrett, as Health Visitors, and so far this work has proceeded smoothly. The
Nurses themselves are delighted with the work and it should prove of much
value for Health Visitors into the district.
During my first few weeks of office I could not help being struck by the
scattered arrangements of the various offices serving the public health of the
district, thereby making administration almost an impossibility. Realising
this anomaly, the Council sought to centralise the various sub-offices in one,
and as a result of the Special Report decided to house the Public Health, School
Medical and Maternity and Child Welfare Departments temporarily at
Pymmes House in Pymmes Park. It was further decided to establish a
number of sub-clinics to facilitate mothers in their own districts.