[Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Stourport-on-Severn U.D.C.

  • Stourport-on-Severn (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Stourport-on-Severn U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/24 (page 7)
    Hartlebury Common and the Domination of the S.W. & 5. Power Company—“Vandalism in Excels is.”— My predecessor—Dr. Cadogan Masterman— often urged the people of Stourport to make more use of Hartlebury Common stressing the fact that nowhere in Worcestershire could fresher more bracing air be obtained and reminding them of it’s—in some respects—unique natural history. What would he say if he were with us still ? Air polluted by the belching smoke and grit of 4 huge chimney stacks, ever increasing number of pylons and overhead cables straddling webwise in all directions : and now a railway with 3 bridges, skirting it’s boundary along and over which loaded waggons will rumble and empty waggons will rattle by day and possibly by night also. Whether, through lack of foresight, the Council were unable to prevent this onslaught on the amenities of the district or were willing to accept it for the sake of increased rateable value many interested in the natural history of the Common would like to know : others, more materialistic, ask why, if we must put up with these conditions, is the price of electricity not reduced to the consumer. The position of a sub-station at the bottom of Windmill Bank was apparently, not realised when plans for the road to the Walshes Housing Scheme was made. The result is that another road must replace that originally intended involving the purchase of land for the purpose. Who pays ? Schools.— During the year I have paid a good many visits to the schools in connection with the investigation of infectious disease and diphtheria immunisation. I have been impressed by the improved general health of the children—both physical and mental—especially among those attending the Senior Schools. It was slightly less marked among the other schools but they had been suffering from epidemics of Mumps and Chicken-pox which quite accounts for it. Parents and Visitors were delighted with the keenness and general appearance of the children at the School Sports. Chicken-pox (chiefly affecting the Juniors and Infants) started after the schools opened in January and lasted till the summer holidays—there was a slight recrudescence in the autumn. Mumps.—Was epidemic during the first half of the year and interfered with Diphtheria Immunisation. Scarlatina.—A few cases only, no epidemic : chiefly among infants. An epidemic of coughs and colds reduced attendances at Areley Kings Schools in December.