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6
PREFACE.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Thirty-Fourth Annual Report on the Health
of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
In accordance with the instructions of the Council, the report, which is an
"Ordinary Report" and not a "Survey Report," follows the outline indicated by
the Ministry of Health in order to ensure uniformity in the presentation of Annual
Reports of Medical Officers of Health throughout the country.
A precis of the Health Services of the Borough will be found in the first section
and the Council's scheme of Health Propaganda is fully described in the second
section. In December a general inspection of public health services in the Borough
was begun by medical officers of the Ministry of Health but the inspection was
not completed at the end of the year. This survey inspection is required in order
that the Ministry may be satisfied from time to time that a local authority is maintaining
a reasonable standard of efficiency and progress in discharging its duties
relating to public health, regard being paid to the standards in other areas whose
financial and other circumstances are substantially similar.
The Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme is comprehensive and
differs substantially from what it was when the first assistant medical officer—Dr.
Rachel Mackenzie—was appointed in 1918. A detailed description of the year's
working is given in Section III. Dr. Mackenzie retired on superannuation towards
the end of the year and the following reference to her work was presented to the
Council by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and recorded in the Council's
minutes:—
"We desire to place on record our very deep appreciation of the devoted services
to maternity and child welfare given by Dr. Mackenzie during her sixteen years'
service with the Council. She was the first Medical Officer appointed for maternity
and child welfare work, and has been, in a large measure, responsible for the development
and success of the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme. Dr.
Mackenzie has always taken the keenest personal interest in the care and comfort
of mothers and the feeding and up-bringing of children, and has given the whole
of her talent and time to the furtherance of their well being. We sincerely regret
that we have to lose her services and hope that she will live long to enjoy a happy,
well-earned retirement."