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3
Public Health Department,
Municipal Offices,
Sheen Lane, S.W. 14.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Barnes.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my first Annual Report as
Medical Officer of Health of the Borough of Barnes on the health of
the Borough during 1948.
Throughout 1948 I continued as Acting Medical Officer of
Health, pending a decision between the County and the Borough
Councils as to the best arrangement for the fulfilment of both
County and Borough Councils' work. Eventually it was decided
I be appointed Medical Officer to the Barnes Borough Council while
remaining a County Officer, being seconded to the Borough Council
for my duties to that authority as Medical Officer of Health. I
have now, therefore, a dual personality, 40 per cent. of my time
being available as Medical Officer of Health for the Borough, the
remaining 60 per cent. as an Assistant County Medical Officer for
personal health and school medical work.
From 5th July, the administration of the maternity and child
welfare services was taken over by the Surrey County Council, so
that Barnes Borough Council was responsible only for these
services until that date. Nevertheless, for comparative purposes,
it seemed better to include annual figures where possible, and,
with the permission of the County Council, I have been enabled to
provide annual statistics in respect of most of the maternity and
child welfare and allied services. The tables in which this has
been done have been marked throughout the report with an
asterisk (*).
With the introduction of the National Health Service Act, the
Barnes Infectious Diseases Hospital was taken over by the
Regional Hospital Board, and the Ambulance Service by the Surrey
County Council, so that information in connection with these services
relates solely to the period 1st January until 4th July, 1948.
May I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to the
Council for the confidence placed in me by appointing me their
Medical Officer of Health, and my appreciation of their keen interest
in all matters relating to public health.
I should like to pay tribute to all the members of the staff of the
Public Health Department, including those who have been