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Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
Town Hall,
Old Street, E.C. 1.
June, 1931.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS
of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch.
Madam, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the year 1930. It is
gratifying to be able to report that so low an infantile mortality rate as 65 has never
before been recorded in Shoreditch.
It is hoped that the epidemic of small-pox (Variola minor), particulars of which
are given in the report, reached its peak during the year. This disease, though
happily not severe, was the cause of over 700 persons being removed to hospital, of
the infliction of anxiety, inconvenience, and in many cases, serious economic loss
upon a large number of families, and of a very great strain being thrown upon the
administrative resources of the Health Department.
More pleasant is it to remember important developments of the Health Services
of the Borough. These include a Tuberculosis Dispensary, new Dental Hospital,
Maternity and Child Welfare extension, Women's Hospital, Laundry, Municipal
Midwife, Municipal Day Nursery, arrangements in connection with all of which
were well advanced at the end of the year.
I wish to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which the Staff of
the Department carried out their duties and to thank them for their ready help
throughout a very busy year. In this connection I will name Dr. James Fanning,
Assistant Medical Officer of Health, who retired; his successor, Dr. Evelyn McGregor;
Mr. Davies, Dental Surgeon; Mr. Wilsher, Chief Clerk; and Mr. Pearson, Chief
Sanitary Inspector.
Finally, I wish to thank all the members of the Council, and in particular the
Chairmen and Members of the Health and Maternity and Child Welfare Committees
for their assistance in all matters relating to the work for which I am responsible.
I am, Madam, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
MAITLAND RADFORD,
Medical Officer of Health.