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latter disease. There was again a complete absence of diphtheria and
enteric fever. Scarlet fever and erysipelas were less prevalent. A
sharp outbreak of mild dysentery in the spring emphasises yet again the
necessity for better standards of hygiene in relation to food and food
utensils.
The control of food both from the point of view of quality and cleanliness,
has in recent years received increasing legislative attention.
Numerous regulations to protect the public from fraud and disease have
been issued by the Ministry of Food and their administration now
absorbs a greatly increased share of the time of your Sanitary Inspectors.
There is no doubt that the closer supervision exercised in this field of
public health backed by these statutory powers is producing beneficial
results. One may quote for example the fact that in 1951 for the first
time on record not one sample of milk out of more than 200 examined
failed to comply with the legal standard for quality prescribed by the
Food & Drugs Act. Further, the cleanliness of ice cream as judged
by bacteriological examination is now higher than at any time, the
number of samples coming within the two higher grades having risen
steadily from 35% to 94% in the course of the past five years.
For all too many years progress in public health has been severely
handicapped by the lack of adequate housing accommodation with its
accompanying evils of overcrowding. Thirteen years ago the last war
brought to a sudden halt the Council's progressive programme of slum
clearance and whilst by comparison with many districts we have only
a small number of unfit dwellings, it has not yet been possible to make
any headway in this very necessary sanitary action.
I would like again to place on record my thanks to all members
of the department for their loyal and willing service.
I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
F. LAWRENCE SMITH,
Medical Officer of Health.
August, 1952.
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