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25
REPORT OP CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR.
To the Mayor Aldermen and Councillors:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with pleasure that I submit the following
report upon the work of your Sanitary Inspectors
during the year 1944 - a year which could justly he
described as one of the most difficult of the war years
so far as the work of this Department was concerned.
In the sphere of Civil Defence the Sanitary
Inspectors continued to man the Burton Road Control Room
on night duty. They also shared the task of training
a team of 60 men and women who had volunteered to carry
out the unpleasant work involved in the treatment of gas
contaminated foodstuffs. Little has been heard of this
particular branch of Civil Defence as it was not one
which lent itself to exciting and spectacular demonstration,
But quietly, these volunteers came along, usually
straight from their shops or other businesses to attend
lectures and practices. Fortunately they were not required
to carry out the duties for which they were prepared,
but had it been otherwise I am sure they would
have given a good account of themselves. Similarly
there were two other smaller teams who were trained to
deal with contaminated protective gas clothing and
civilian clothing. These teams also continued their
practices during the yoar, so that they might keep themselves
prepared for action.
Ih November of 1944, when the Borough Surveyor
was hard pressed for technical staff to oope with war
damage repairs, Mr»Clegg was loaned to assist in that
important urgent work. Ho did not return to normal
duties until March 1945*
Apart from those matters, the frequency and
severity, of enemy action caused considorable interruption
of the normal work of the Department.
The Report covers what may be described as
environmental and food hygiene and is, of necessity,
restricted in character.