[Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Paignton U.D.C.

  • Paignton (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Paignton U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Opportunity was taken of making inspections of the moorland water catchment areas. As a result, a greater assurance was obtained that periodic unsatisfactory water samples were due to animal grazing and climatic variations, and that there was no established human source of danger to cause anxiety. It is never practicable to eliminate animal and bird contamination on large water-catchment areas, against which a large dilution plus long storage are the first safeguards—and may be, indeed, the only purification safeguards which are necessary. In Section “ E, the Chief Sanitary Inspector has commented upon the increase in meat condemned because of tuberculosis. It has to be added that the increased percentage is not unfavourable compared with that for England and Wales as a whole. The figures for Paignton have generally been lower than the average and are not now higher than the average for last year. Less than 5 per cent, of Devon herds are tubercle-free by test. It may be that the greater urge and opportunity in the County—as in the Country generally—to increase the number of tubercle-free herds has resulted in more doubtful animals being sent for slaughter. Farmers and Stock-breeders have no alternative—it is the law that all cattle, including casualties, be slaughtered at the recognised centres. May I call attention to the large number of children, under five years, protected against Diphtheria during the year—379, in all. It is a renewed pleasure to express my appreciation and thanks to the professional—Nursing and Sanitary—and Clerical staffs of the Department. I am additionally indebted to Mr. Thick for a Report upon Refuse Collection and Disposal and Salvage, and the notes upon Council Housing and Billeting—all being matters for which he as solely responsible. I have the honour to be, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant. A. DICK