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60
Each year we have looked forward—not without justification for
our optimism—to advancement to even higher standards of public
health. But with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, we
experienced a set-back which, in terms of public health endeavour,
will take some considerable time to overcome. The war period,
whilst providing facilities for scientific advancement, particularly
in the field of curative medicine, brought to a halt much of the
progress associated with environmental hygiene. Endeavours in
this direction were directed to other purposes more appropriate to
the material need of the time.
Since the end of the war, efforts have become choked by considerations
of national economy, particularly in terms of labour
and material.
No statistical presentation can convey the unhappiness and
feelings of frustration arising from inadequate housing, and in
whatever direction the department's activities were concentrated,
restrictions to progress had to be contended with. Demands for
repairs, improvements or other desirable changes, are impeded by
shortage of labour, difficulty in obtaining materials required, and
restrictive licensing regulations. Any efforts to bring about
improvement in atmospheric pollution too are met with objections,
such as the difficulty arising from coal shortages and the consequent
use of substitute fuel of inferior quality.
The administration of the sanitary services has kept abreast of
legislative changes. This new legislation has increased the duties
imposed on local authorities, with the inevitable increase of staff
over the years. Nevertheless, the record of work in regard to
sanitary administration for the year under review, presented in
these pages, in no way indicates the full efforts necessary to accomplish
such results.
The increased activities of the technical officers are reflected in
the volume of work produced in the office, and a comparison of the
statistical information of this report and those for previous years,
will clearly indicate the measure of this increase.
Dissemination of public health knowledge, and information
regarding the departmental activities, have been carried out by
means of talks to various organisations.