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the shortage of nursing staff, restricted admissions to hospitals
to cases of acute sickness.
These factors, coupled with the repeal of the Poor Laws
which resulted in the abolition of the appointments of District
Medical Officers, left many of these aged people who, through
ignorance, neglect or for other reasons had not secured admission
to the panels of general practitioners, without medical attendants
and in many cases they were found to be dependent upon the goodwill
of neighbours for food and other necessary attention. Where
possible, I assisted these people in obtaining medical treatment
and arranged for them to receive assistance through the Home
Help Service, thus ensuring that until other provision could be
made for them they were, at least, fed and given some degree
of care.
Section 50 transfers from the County Council to the Borough
Council the responsibility for burying or cremating the bodies
of persons dying or being found dead in the Borough in cases
where suitable arrangements are not otherwise being made. In
order to fulfil the Council's obligations in this respect it was
necessary to set up machinery to deal with the burials and the
recovery, in suitable cases, of expenses incurred from persons
who immediately before the deaths of the deceased were liable
to maintain them. The arrangements made have worked very
satisfactorily.
On the 5th July, 1948, consequent upon the National Health
Service Act, 1946, becoming operative, control of the Personal
Health Services—Tuberculosis, Maternity and Child Welfare,
Home Helps and Diphtheria Immunisation—and the staff engaged
therein passed from the Borough Council to the London County
Council, with the exception of the diagnosis and treatment of
tuberculosis, which went to the Regional Hospitals Boards.
Borough Medical Officers of Health were, however, retained by
the London County Council on the " day to day " administration
of the services transferred to that authority.
The appointment of Dr. King, formerly Medical Officer of
Health of Stoke Newington, and Mr. Minter, formerly Administrative
Assistant in the Hackney Public Health Department, to
the Divisional appointments was particularly satisfactory in view
of their knowledge of local conditions and administration, and
the change-over was effected expeditiously and in a spirit of
co-operation between the two administrations.
It is natural that we should experience great regret at the
loss of these services, built up over the years and of which we