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spite of this by the end of 1958 over 13,000 children and expectant
mothers had been vaccinated.
Good progress was made in regard to B.C.G. vaccination.
Reference must be made to the resignation of Miss A. Woolgar
who had rendered fine service as the energetic Honorary Secretary
of the Walthamstow Association of Tuberculosis Care Helpers for
some eleven years.
As regards chiropody, the facilities available are completely
inadequate and could with advantage be doubled, since a period of
thirteen/fourteen weeks elapses before appointments can be made
for those requiring repeat treatment. The general authority given
by the Ministry of Health in 1959 to expand facilities may carry a
danger to areas like Walthamstow where well-established services
are available, in that staff may be lost to other expanding areas
unless the existing unrealistic salary scales are improved.
With reference to health education, advantage was taken of all
opportunities by the extension of talks at welfare clinics and schools,
to adult organisations, and in connection with the National "Guard
that Fire" campaign, which is fully described by Dr. Poole.
The most difficult and urgent problem is to bring adequately
to the attention of the public, and especially the adolescent, the
danger which seems to result from excessive cigarette smoking. An
eminent surgeon is recently reported to have stated that he is
convinced that every heavy smoker will develop lung cancer unless
heart disease or some other sickness claims him earlier. Another is
reported to have recommended that after the age of forty years,
every heavy smoker should have a chest X-ray examination at
least every six months.
The employment of a second Domestic Help Organiser has
been of great value and has allowed more inspections and the
"tidying up" of the Service generally.
As the completion of twenty-nine years service in Walthamstow
draws near, I wish to thank all members of the staff of the Department,
for their good work. Despite the complications following from the
Acts of 1944 and 1946, the Department has still continued to
function as a single entity. I wish also to thank past and present
Chairmen and Members of the Committees dealing with matters of
health for their unfailing help and support, as well as the Town
Clerk, other Chief Officers and Heads of Departments, and not
least the Family Doctors practising in Walthamstow. It has been a
happy and rewarding term of service.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient Servant,
A. T. W. POWELL,
Medical Officer of Health.