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6
PREFACE.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
Madam Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Thirty-sixth Annual Report on the health
of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
The Report, in accordance with the instructions of the Council, follows the
outline indicated by the Ministry of Health, in order to ensure uniformity in the
presentation of Annual Reports of Medical Officers throughout the country.
During the year much consideration was given to the needs of the toddler and
it was decided to increase, from the beginning of April, 1937, the facilities already
provided for his care and comfort. The number of toddlers sessions is to be doubled,
following-up is to be more complete and additional provision is to be made for the
treatment of defects discovered. The clinics of the school medical service are to
be used for this purpose but when this is not possible other arrangements are to
be made. Orthopaedic cases, for example, will continue to be sent to the Remedial
Clinic of the Woolwich Invalid Children's Aid Association. A new Ear, Nose and
Throat Clinic is to be established, where medical and hygenie treatment chiefly,
but if necessary surgical treatment also, will be available.
Parliament has decided that the salaried midwives' service to which I referred
in last year's report is to be administered by the London County Council whose
scheme had not been made public at the end of the year. It is not yet known to
what extent, or in what ways, the existing maternity services of the Metropolitan
Borough Councils are to be utilised.
Progress in slum clearance still continues. An additional twelve areas were
represented during the year bringing the total number of areas dealt with since
the commencement of the programme up to 34. In these 34 areas were 293 houses
occupied by 1,156 persons. Three official representations have been made by
medical officers of the London County Council. Details will be found in the housing
section of the Report.
In the matter of overcrowding progress has also been made. Landlords have
been provided, as a result of a systematic survey, with information as to the
"permitted number" of persons who may occupy a dwelling and the position of
all known overcrowded families has been investigated. It is difficult to know what
is happening with regard to overcrowding. At the end of 1935, 683 families were
known to be living in overcrowded dwellings in the Borough. In 414 cases