View report page

7
BOROUGH OF ROMFORD
To His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the
Borough of Romford.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
I have the honour, herewith, to present to you this, my Annual
Report on the Health of the district for the year 1942.
This is the Ninth Report in the series, since I was appointed
your Medical Officer of Health, and it is drawn up in accordance
with the requirements of Articles 6(3) and 17(5) of the Sanitary
Officers (Outside London) Regulations, 1935, as modified by Circular
2773 of the Ministry of Health, dated 10th March, 1943. This
Circular, like those for the past two years again states that the
Report for 1942 should be an Interim one, and that careful preservation
should be made of all records, not published, so that, at some
future date, these can be reported upon.
As I write this Report, the War, unfortunately has been in
progress for more than 3 years, and it is, therefore, with a not inconsiderable
feeling of pride that I can still report a satisfactory
year of progress. I must admit that in the far off, and depressing
days of 1939, few of us hoped to be able to maintain the services
that had previously existed, at any rate in their entirety, but, since
then, not only have we done so, but we have also consolidated, and
extended those services. This extension has involved an increase of
staff, from 14, pre-war to 32, to-day (not including the Civil
Defence Personnel), and, with the opening of a third War-time
Nursery, the staff will be increased by another 8 personnel. It is
inevitable, dealing as we are mainly with a temporary staff, that
there should be frequent changes, which have thrown an extra
responsibility and burden on those who remain, but, nevertheless,
records have been maintained, and when these are duly published
the statistics will I feel show favourable comparison with pre-war
years.
As before, my best thanks go to all the members of my staff,
who have assisted in the work of the Department, to my fellow
officials, for their kind assistance during the year, and to all the
members of the Council, who have shown sympathetic consideration
of our difficulties, and a continued interest in the well-being,
and health of the inhabitants of the town.
I am,
Mr. Mayor. Ladies, and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES B. SAMSON,
Public Health Department, Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall,
Romford
April, 1943.