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7
Annual Report for the Year 1938
OF THE
Medical Officer of Health.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Ninth Annual Report on
the health conditions of the Borough for the year 1938.
The year has been one of steadily increasing activity
partly as a result of the establishment of new services, such
as the provision of domiciliary midwifery, and also because of
the increasing use being made of the services by the public,
which is reflected in the figures contained in the body of the
Report.
Heavy responsibilities have been placed on the Department
under the Air Raid Precautions Scheme, and while it
would appear that the best method of administration would
be to establish a separate section, and this is to some extent
being done, nevertheless it is inevitable that all members of
the staff, in a greater or less degree, are feeling the additional
burden.
Recently it has been suggested that priority should be
given to Air Raid Precautions for a definite period, and while
an effort is being made to comply with this, it is proving far
from easy as it is not possible suddenly to curtail services
which have such a direct and personal contact with the public
and which the public expect to be full and efficient.
In submitting this Report I should like to take the opportunity
of thanking the members of the Council for their keen
interest in all matters affecting the public health, and also the