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11
I wish again to express my thanks to the Masters and
Mistresses of the various public elementary schools for the help
they have given me and for the vigilance which they have exercised
during the past year.
From the constant information received, and by bringing
children with suspicious symptoms at once to me, I have been able
to trace infection at its commencement and prevent an epidemic. I
earnestly hope that they will not relax their efforts and that they
will continue to assist me.
I must not omit to express my gratitude to Sister Lucas and
the Nursing Staff at the Cottage Hospital who work with such
devotion in tending the sick and infirm poor. When I picture the
state of affairs before the Hospital was founded I wonder how we
got on at all, and 1 am convinced that many lives are saved by their
care and skill, besides the enormous amount of good that they do in
bringing habits of cleanliness into so many poor homes. I sincerely
trust that the good work may continue and that the subscriptions to
the Hospital will not fall off.
Before I conclude, I should like to say a few words about
Mr. Coleman your Sanitary Inspector. During the whole time 1 have
been Medical Officer, the Council have never had an Inspector so
capable, or one who has served so faithfully, and carried out his
difficult and dangerous duties at the same time so efficiently and with
so little friction. I hope that his services will be retained for a long
time for it would be disastrous to lose him now he has made himself
thoroughly acquainted with the difficult problem of dealing with
houses under the Housing of the Working Classes Act which has
been commenced.
He has now been appointed over two years and I feel that his
salary is too small for his abilities and insufficient for his position.
I earnestly hope that the Council will take this into consideration
at an early date.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
HENRY BOTT,
Medical Officer of Health.