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is the fact that such matters as the periodic inspection of schools—
a very necessary safeguard—work under the Shops Acts, and the
supervision of food shops have not been able to receive the attention
which they so clearly merit. Even more important is our inability
to exercise strict and necessary control over the many canteens and
eating houses which have sprung up within the Borough. This
shortage of staff is being brought to the notice of the Public Health
Committee, and it is hoped that 1947 will see an all-round improvement.
It is a disturbing thought that, while the personal health
services have been so materially stepped up over the past ten years,
environmental hygiene, upon which so much of our health depends,
has had to be partially, and in some important instances, substantially
neglected. When one considers the effect upon our
health and well-being of housing, control of food stuffs, and sanitary
supervision in its widest sense, the importance of environmental
hygiene will at once be realised. At the moment, we can only hope
to adopt a policy of strictly limited activity, dealing with our
problems in strict order of priority. This is highly unsatisfactory,
but until we can return to anything even remotely approaching
normality, there is little else to be said.
Housing.—The Public Health Department has been happy to
co-operate with the Housing Department in the investigation of
cases of over-crowding reported in the district. This co-operation
has been close and cordial, and although it has thrown considerable
work upon the shoulders of the Sanitary Inspectors, they have
accepted the burden very willingly, in the knowledge that no part
of their duty is more important.
It has fallen to my lot on a number of occasions to bring to the
notice of the Housing Department cases of very serious overcrowding,
particularly cases in which actual illness or ill-health
have created a re-housing problem. Judged purely from the Public
Health standpoint, the two most urgent types of cases with which
we have to deal are cases of open tuberculosis in a family, and
mothers returning from hospital with an infant to conditions
detrimental to the health both of mother and baby. In all such
cases it is pleasing to record that the Housing Department has
given my recommendations immediate and sympathetic consideration.
The need for re-housing families from which a case of open
pulmonary tuberculosis has been reported, is particulary claimant.
This will receive more detailed attention in the section of the report
dealing with the prevalence and control of infectious diseases.
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