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8
BOROUGH OF ROMFORD
To His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Romford:
Me. 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 1949.
This is the Sixteenth 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
2/50 of the Ministry of Health, dated 25th January, 1950.
This Circular states that the Report should be prepared on the lines
of that for 1948, with a few additions.
As the chief function of the Medical Officer of Health is to safeguard
the health of the area for which he acts by such means as are
at his disposal, and as he should endeavour to acquire an accurate
knowledge of the influences which may operate prejudicially to
health in the area, and combat those influences insofar as he is able
to do so, it is clear that his activities, and consequently this report,
cannot be limited to any one aspect, but must also embrace those
functions of the National Health Service Act, 1946, for which the
Essex County Council is the Local Authority. The following pages
therefore deal, in part, with such services.
The new estate at Harold Hill has grown considerably during
the year, and whilst it is not expected that many complaints of
sanitary defects will arise, nevertheless there are other problems to
he met, such as a rise in the rate of Infectious Diseases during
epidemic periods, and an additional number of cases suffering from
Tuberculosis. This latter is not due to an unsuitable environment,
but rather the reverse, as patients suffering from Tuberculosis have
priority for re-housing by the L.C.C., and it is thereby hoped that
the better conditions on the Estate will in large measure prove
beneficial, not only to the sufferers, but also to their families.
I think that it will be agreed that the statistics, in general,
throughout this report are satisfactory and encouraging.
As before, my best thanks go to all members of my staff, who
have assisted in the work in their own individual spheres, and, in
the compilation of this report; to my fellow officials for their kind
aid during the year, and to all the Members of the Council, who,
at all times, have shown a keen interest in matters pertaining to
the health and well-being 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.
May, 1950,