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41
On the 1st April the Council became responsible for the administration of the
Vaccination Acts within the Borough. It so happened on this date also, that the
three civil parishes of the Borough were formed into one parish, which is known
as the Parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
On the 31st March there were two Vaccination Officers, Mr. Oughton for the
parishes of Woolwich and Plumstead, and Mr. Knottley for the parish of Eltham.
Owing to the change in the parish boundaries, Mr. Knottley's appointment was
automatically terminated, and Mr. Oughton became Vaccination Officer for the
Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
Mr. Oughton was a part-time Vaccination Officer, and in addition to these
duties acted as a collector to the Woolwich Board of Guardians. In this capacity
he became an officer of the London County Council. Whilst he was Vaccination
Officer to the Guardians he had assistance from other clerks of the Guardians, but
when the change over took place and he was no longer able to obtain this assistance
it was decided to afford assistance from this Department. Mr. S. G. Taylor, of this
office, accordingly spent one or two days a week as assistant to the Vaccination
Officer.
The position created was an unsatisfactory one, but matters had to continue
in this state because the County Council were unable, before the end of the year,
to arrive at a definite basis for dealing with part-time officers, but in January of
1931 it was at length decided that Mr. Oughton should, as a condition of his appointment
as Collector in the London County Council's service, resign his appointment
as Vaccination Officer. In consequence the Council resolved that Mr. S. G. Taylor,
should be appointed a part-time Vaccination Officer, to take effect from the 1st
February, at a salary of £285 per annum.
xii. Supply of Insulin to Persons suffering from Diabetes.
In May, the Council agreed to supply Insulin to diabetic patients who were
necessitous and unable to obtain it under the National Health Insurance Acts.
The Council's powers in this matter are to be found in Section 77 of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, and are subject to the approval of the Minister of
Health. The Minister approved the Council's proposals, but stated that Insulin
should only be supplied to the medical practitioner undertaking the treatment of
the patient, and the following information should be required :—
(а) The name, address, age and sex of each patient;
(б) A quarterly report in respect of each patient treated, giving the following
information :—
(1) The number of doses administered ;
(2) Whether any tests were made of the urine or of the blood of the patient,
and, if so, by whom and with what results ;
(3) The progress of the patient during the period under report.
A supply of Insulin was given under this scheme to one patient during the year.