One man's story.

The life of Dr. G.C. M'Gonigle, medical officer of health for Stockton on Tees (1924-39) is portrayed by dramatic reconstruction set against the streets of Stockton on Tees, with voice-over acting the part of an enquirer who follows Dr. M'Gonigle on his rounds and elicits information from a range of witnesses. Dr. M'Gonigle worked with Sir John Boyd-Orr on the committee to investigate malnutrition in Britain. He fought for better housing, insisting that this was no use if those who were rehoused ended up going without food in order to pay rents that were beyond their means. He saw the importance of compiling patients' health histories and threw himself into public health issues such as food hygiene, contact tracing in the case of disease and care of the disabled. His observation that "no diseased beef can get through the food chain if everyone's doing his job" strikes a chord with our own troubled times. Dr. M'Gonigle is played by Murray Matheson.