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7
in the home. It is hoped that this work may be greatly increased
in the future, although this would entail a larger
expenditure than has been possible in the past. Both the
Local Authority and the Local Health Authority have the
power to make grants for this purpose. The Fabrics
(Misdescription) Regulations of 1959 are to be welcomed
in this connection in that they prescribe new standards of
non-inflammability for textile fabrics, to which the Fabrics
(Misdescription) Act of 1913 applies, namely, textile fabrics
to which is attributed the quality of non-inflammability or
safety from fire, or any degree of that quality. The Act
places the responsibility on the Local Authority, who have
been considering how the stringent British Standards tests
prescribed by the Regulations could best be carried out. It
is likely that they are too complicated to be carried out in
the Health Department and the Council are considering the
possibility of submitting samples of fabrics to one or other
of the testing houses, recommended by the Board of Trade,
who would be prepared to undertake such work on behalf
of Local Authorities.
The future of the health services in this area is closely
linked up with work of the Royal Commission on Local
Government in the Greater London area. The present separation,
in the Borough, of the environmental from the personal
health services is an artificial one, and I think one
may look forward with some confidence to an improvement
in the position in years to come.
In conclusion I wish to thank the Chairman and Members
of the Health Committee for their support and encouragement
and the Chief Public Health Inspector, Chief
Clerk and all members of the Health Department for the
good work which they have done during the year.
I am,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN LANDON
Medical Officer of Health.