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Metropolitan Borough of Deptford.
Public Health Department
Town Hall,
New Cross Road, S E. 14.
March, 1929.
To The Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Deptford.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my eighth Annual Report on
the sanitary circumstances, sanitary administration and vital statistics
of the Borough.
This Report is an Ordinary and not a Survey Report; it will be
remembered that the Ministry of Health requested a Survey Report
every five years and advised that the intervening reports should be
ordinary reports. The Survey Report is, then, inter alia, a quinquennial
grand inquest of the health services, etc., provided for the
burgesses by your esteemed Council.
Notwithstanding, it is clear that in the Ordinary Report the Ministry
look for a statement as to any developments during the calendar year
in question. In view of my departure to take up the post of Medical
Superintendent Officer of Health for Belfast, I have felt that it would
be a useful and helpful step to take, for my successor's sake, if I
framed this report so as to give him a good introduction to the work as
and when he takes up duty ; this of course would not interfere with
the plan of the report as laid down by the Ministry of Health.
It is only natural as I write that I should feel some pride in the
services which I have, however imperfectly, helped you to extend or
establish during my period as Medical Officer of Health. The Schick
Test and the "Violet Rays" were initiated during my time, but we
have also witnessed a distinct advance in pre-existing services.