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BOROUGH OF MALDEN AND COOMBE
ANNUAL REPORT
OF
THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
1960
Public Health Department,
Municipal Offices,
New Maiden.
August, 1961.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Maiden and Coombe.
Lady and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year 1960
which has been prepared in accordance with the Ministry of Health
Circular No. 1/61 .
The work of the Public Health Department has been very much
handicapped by staff difficulties throughout the year. In a small
department the loss of one or two of its staff for any appreciable time
presents considerable difficulty. The routine work has, however,
continued to be carried out and much credit is due to the staff for the
way in which this has been done. The tragically sudden death of Mr. S.
J. T. Wood in September was not only a severe loss to his many friends
but also to the Council as a whole, for he had an enthusiasm for his
work which quickly infected those with whom he was associated, and a
pleasant manner which enabled him to carry out his duties in an easy
and friendly way. He was succeeded as Chief Public Health Inspector
by his previous deputy, Mr. P. E. Kinton, who is to be congratulated on
the way in which he assumed his responsibilities in the face of his own
personal sense of loss.
There have been no major developments during the year. Routine
programmes for the protection of the community against poliomyelitis,
diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus have been stepped up with
satisfactory results. The occurrence of small isolated outbreaks of
diphtheria in various parts of the country has re-emphasised the
importance of maintaining this work at the highest possible level. It