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Food control will be more effectively and more economically
administered when the Council take over the powers and
duties of the Food and Drugs Authority in October next.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme continued to
expand rapidly. Its activities showed the biggest increase of
any year since its inception and the additional accommodation
which will be provided by the proposed Centre in Camborne
Road is urgently needed. If this project is delayed much
longer the high standard of this essential service will be
endangered.
I trust that after perusal of these pages it will be agreed
that there is no evidence that the Public Health Services have
not been effectively maintained. Yet as the Council are
aware, the staff in this, as in other departments, has been
very extensively engaged on A.R.P. duties. The results indicated
in this volume have been achieved, in so far as they
are affected by public administration, under arduous circumstances
and at no small effort. I am indeed grateful to all
the members of my staff for their untiring assistance and for
the willing manner in which they shouldered extra responsibilities
and additional duties both in and out of office hours
during a difficult year. To a Medical Officer who has hitherto
mainly devoted his efforts to helping his fellow-beings to
guard against those influences inimicable to life and health,
which they have not yet been able to control, it is a matter
of some regret that he should have to divert so much of his
energy to protecting man from the possible results of his own
folly.
I am,
Your obedient Servant,
F. LAWRENCE SMITH,
Medical Officer of Health.
July, 1939.
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