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6
Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS.
Madam, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit my third annual report on the progress of the health services of your
Authority. As the County Borough Council of West Ham have done me the honour to
appoint me as their Medical Officer of Health, this will be the last report to you from my
pen. It is fitting, therefore, that in this brief introduction I should refer to any accomplishments
which have been effected since I was appointed as head of your Public Health
Department.
During the last three years much progress has been made in the provision of clinics
for all members of the community. In May, 1935, two new clinics for women were
inaugurated, viz., the medical clinic, the function of which is largely diagnostic, and the
gyncecological clinic, which also serves as a medium for advice on birth control. These
clinics have both been successes, and, at the time of writing, arrangements have been made
for the inauguration of additional evening sessions. The functions of these clinics were
described in my report for 1935, and in the appropriate section of this report additional
information is given regarding their working. In November, 1935,1 reported to you that
in my opinion a municipal foot clinic would provide for a need which apparently existed,
and, as a result of your approval of my suggestion, this clinic was opened in May, 1936.
In this instance, also, the response on the part of the public has been excellent, and the
three sessions which were originally held weekly have now been increased to six.
The municipal dental hospital is now arousing considerable interest in other areas,
and during the last twelve months a number of officers from other local authorities have paid
special visits to study the administration and working of the hospital. It is pointed out
in this report that the attendances at this clinic increased to such an extent that during
1936 an additional dental surgeon was appointed to conduct extra sessions. Additions
to the laboratory staff were also effected. The year was also marked by the inauguration
of special measures for dealing with the dental condition of pre-school children.