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REPORT OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR
I have the honour to present my ninth annual report
on the sanitary circumstances of the district
Good progress can be reported in all branches of our
work The smoke control programme proceeded according to
plan the 5 year programme for the clearance of unfit houses
was successfully completed overcrowding was reduced to
pre war level the number of cesspools and pail closets
was further reduced and the improvement achieved in recent
years in the standard of food hygiene was fully maintained.
On the subject of atmospheric pollution it is inter
estingtonote that the degree of pollution in the district
is now no greater than some western residential suburban
areas of London a well known northern spa and a small town
in the heart of Surrey Before long the comparison should
be even more favourable to Hayes.
There has been a tendency recently to regard an annual
report as a suitable medium for all manner of things from
axe grinding to mass education It has become the fashion
to include photographs in reports When used to describe
something unusual or outstanding illustrations can with
out doubt be of great value Too often however the sub
jects are commonplace and ordinary It seems to me that
the primary function of an annual report is to describe
what has been attempted what has been achieved what re
mains to be done and to draw attention to any current health
problems in the district under review Health education
must surely be more effective when written or devised
specially for that purpose and with the intention of reaching
the man in the street
This report will not attempt to be all things to
all men It is intended for the knowledgeable reader
It will try to show how the environmental health services
in this industrial district are meeting the problems of
the day.
The results shown in this report would not have been
possible without the help of a keen and enthusiastic staff
and the encouragement of a sympathetic and considerate
Public Health Committee and I wish to place on record my
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