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The standard of environmental hygiene continues to rise, fostered by
the unremitting work of inspection and supervision. The altered designation
of the Sanitary Inspectors to Public Health Inspectors is an appropriate
recognition of the ever increasing scope of their activities in the field of
health, which itself is only a reflection of the wider ranging functions of the
local protective health services. A notable instance is the control of food
supplies to which more and more statutory standards and supervision are
being applied. The record of this work was particularly good in 1959. All
milk samples were shown to be genuine; every sample of ice cream was
found to conform to the highest grade from a bacteriological standpoint,
whilst only four out of 264 food samples were reported upon adversely by
the Public Analyst. Of these four, three were milks which, although containing
non-fatty solids slightly below the presumptive standard of the
Regulations, were nevertheless genuine milk. The only irregularity in the
fourth sample was the ommission from the label on pork sausages of the
fact that their contents included salt and spices.
Reference was made in last year's Report to the encouraging prospects
provided by the Clean Air Act in at long last removing the prime cause of a
vast amount of illness and mortality resulting from pollution of the atmosphere.
It is a curious anomaly that whilst for so many years contamination
of the public water supply and of food would be regarded with justifiable
horror and surprise, we are only now beginning to ensure the safety of the
other vital necessity, the air we breathe. The Council's prompt adoption of
a phased programme for making the whole area a smokeless zone, will prove
to be another significant advance in the promotion of the well-being of the
district.
My last comment should, if these general observations were arranged
in order of importance, have come first, since it is the primary function of a
Medical Officer to stress the existing or impending threats to health and what
needs to be done than to seek satisfaction in what has been achieved justifiable
and gratifying as that may be. I refer, of course, to overcrowding and
the long existing lack of adequate housing accommodation. Progress in this
is slow. Whilst in no way minimizing the responsibilities of the Council, this
is a problem which in this district is far from easy to solve owing to the stark
fact of the absence of available building sites. This difficulty is a challenge
of the first magnitude, but until this problem is solved much mental and
physical misery must be borne by many families which otherwise could be
removed.
Once again I tender to my staff my sincere thanks for their assistance
unstintingly given for yet one more year.
I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. LAWRENCE SMITH,
Medical Officer of Health.
July, 1960.
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