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REPORT OF THE CHIHF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR
I have the honour to present my twelfth annual report but
once again find It impossible to feel satisfied with the circum
stances which it is my duty to report.
Last year's difficulties arising from shortage of manual
staff were resolved in the early part of the year and such
essential services as rodent control, drain clearing, insect
control etc. were resumed forthwith.
there is a different story to tell however about inspectorial
staff. A vacancy existed throughout the year until the
14th December and in consequence the standard of inspection of
the District touched its lowest level for many years. It is
perhaps unfortunate that with our kind of work a staff shortage
representing 20% of normal manpower cannot be dealt with by
reducing all our services by a similar amount. Some of our work
must carry on as usual, smallpox contacts must be visited, out
breaks of food poisoning and infectious diseases must be investi
gated, complaints must receive attention and so on Furthermore
if four inspectors are covering the ground normally done by five
they spend more time travelling and more time getting background
knowledge about unfamiliar jobs and therefore have less
time available for actual inspectorial work. This means of
course that some aspects of our work have to receive a much
bigger cut than 20%. In actual practice some of our duties had
to go completely by the board whilst others were carried out on
a greatly reduced scale.
One innovation was possible during the year. With the help
of a newly acquired slide and filmstrip projector talks on food
hygiene, clean air, hygiene in the home, etc. were given by the
Public Health Inspectors to local organisations, groups of school
leavers and food handlers. When circumstances permit, this work
will be expanded. There is a vital need for more education on
health matters and the Public Health Inspectors are willing and
able to give it.
My report on the work of the Public Health Inspectors is
set out under the following headings: -
I. Sanitary Administration, viz:- inspection of the district,
summary of complaints, notices served, legal proceedings,
offensive trades, drainage, keeping of animals, rodent con
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