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Public Health Department,
394, Upper Richmond Road,
East Sheen, S.W.14.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Barnes.
Mr. Mayor, Madam and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the year 1940,
on the sanitary circumstances, the sanitary administration, and the vital
statistics of the Borough.
Upon the 5th June, 1940, I succeeded Dr. E. A. Freear Wilkes, who
had been Medical Officer of Health for nearly twenty years and who
left a well-organised department and one capable of extension.
This is therefore my first report as your Medical Officer of Health
and I regret that, firstly, it is belated owing to the greatly increased
pressure of work in the department as a result of the circumstances of
war and loss of staff, and, secondly, that it has had to be severely
curtailed in accordance with instructions from the Ministry of Health.
Owing to these instructions the report consists only of a preface commenting
on any special matters which have affected or concerned the
public health and an appendix containing tables and statistics relating
to the borough.
In presenting the report I should like to take the opportunity of
expressing my appreciation of the support I have received from the
Council since I took up office. I wish at the same time to express my
thanks to the staff of the department for their co-operation and devotion
to duty throughout a year which placed considerable strain upon all
concerned, and during which they were called upon to perform additional
duties and assume extra responsibilities, all of which were
carried out with credit.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Madam and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
W. F. TWINING McMATH,
Medical Officer of Health.