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4
believe that any change in administration that would split the
school medical service from the Maternity and Child Welfare
service and each or both from the service known as environmental
hygiene, can but lead to non-efficient work. One can
visualise in this cleavage the break-up of twenty years successful
effort in co-ordinating all three services.
There is to-day an ever growing tendency to plan and
control other people's lives and their social activities, yet history
has shown us that progressive evolution depends very largely
on the effort of the individual to give of his or her utmost
endeavour to self-help. There exists, even in Bromley, families
who, either through low mental quotient or through wilful
negligence, do not respond to advice or teaching, but run
counter to all tenets of health or fail lamentably in self-help
Perhaps we shall have such problem families always with us:
if so, the juvenile courts will have much work still ahead of
them, and any progress in fulfilling the purpose of our people
will be frustrated. This problem family is just one of our tasks
The immediate future is clamant for results in one direction
only, and unless fulfilled, all other activities will be fruitless.
This problem is housing—the ultimate answer of a home for
each family, a home where the newly-married can begin to
establish the family of the future. It is well to talk and consider
community centres, guidance councils, nursery schools and day
nurseries, and many other essential social activities. But the
first task to-day is a house for each family, a task which requires
the whole energy and thought of every committee and every
sound citizen. Only when this problem is solved can we apply
our attention to the planning of future local government and
future social services, or expect any lasting good from our
present day efforts towards Health.
Finally, I can but tender thanks to the various committees
for the trust and help given me throughout these years, and to
the staff who have given long and faithful service in their
endeavour to promote the wellbeing of the children of Bromley
I am,
Your obedient servant,
K. E. TAPPER.
July, 1945, Medical Officer of Health