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to produce little short of chaos and to result in such a degree of
priority being given to all as would in effect benefit none.
Temporary Accommodation.
A considerable amount of time has been spent and appears
likely to continue to be spent in generally keeping in touch with
the conditions obtaining in respect of the accommodation provided
by the Essex County Council under Part III arrangements at
St. George's Hospital. There is a large mobile population, the
arrangements are necessarily communal to some extent and the
control, for example, of infectious disease in these circumstances
is a matter of some difficulty. A liaison has, however, been
established with the Department of the County Medical Officer so
that our action concerning this problem should so far as possible
be joint. In addition we have found the authorities on the spot most
helpful.
One must, of course, earnestly hope for the day to arrive when
such accommodation will no longer be necessary, as so long as it
exists it must remain a focus of anxiety.
Land Charges Enquiries.
During the year '2,777 land charges enquiries were referred to
the department regarding the question of outstanding sanitary
notices.
SECTION E.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Food and Drugs Act Administration.
The period under review marks the first complete year for
which we were responsible for Food and Drugs administration
within our district. As noted previously the change over from the
County took place on 1st November, 1949, and 1950 saw the gradual
development of our administrative machinery. The results of our
work are noted below and illustrate not only the results of the actual
sampling but the number and diversity of the food and drugs which
come within our field of supervision. I consider that the assumption
of food and drugs authority has in practice proved advantageous to
the district since it enables a real local supervision to be maintained
over an important branch of public health work at a time when
such supervision is, to say the least, showing signs of decline.
We must also acknowledge the assistance which the County
Council officials were always ready to give when approached. In
this as in other fields co-ordination of effort with the County
Council is clearly to be desired.
Mr. G. Taylor and Dr. J. H. Hamence of Dr. Bernard Dyer
and Partners are the Council's Public Analysts.