[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Solihull County Borough.

  • Solihull (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Solihull County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Housing* Many of the problems that confront me as Medical Officer of Health are indirectly due to the Housing shortage. Garages, offices, etc. appear to be more important than homes for the people. School Dental Service* Owing to the shortage of Dental Surgeons the school dental service is rapidly deteriorat¬ ing and a vicious circle has been set up as much more work has to be done in each mouth than ever before. The result is that the children are not getting the attention they should do. Clean Food* The general public appears to have lost its sense of proportion regarding this important matter. Wrapped bread is demanded but the inevitable cat still sleeps in the shop window of food shops, whilst dogs still continue to urinate on milk bottles and foodstuffs stored near the ground. Aged People* As one who has worked in a Municipal Hospital where beds were always available for old people, I am appalled at the way old people are left to die at home without hospital care. To me it appears that the aged are not wanted in the present State. If animals were permitted to linger and die as some of our old people are doing at the present time there would be a general outcry and prosecutions, yet we call certain tribes uncivilised who permit euthenasia for their old people. Notification of Infectious Diseases* I find that there is a growing tendency on the part of general practitioners and hospitals not to notify infectious diseases and tuberculosis. Tuberculosis* The general attitude to tuberculosis is one of placid indifference ; it has not the publicity value of smallpox and infantile paralysis. In Solihull we are fortunate in having excellent co-operation with the local Chest Clinic Staff. I feel that artificial pneumo-thorax facilities and evening sessions (with over-time rates for the medical and nursing staff) and evening X-ray facilities would be an advantage to the patients. After the tuberculosis patient has become chronic no one appears to be interested any longer. The present tuberculosis scheme is under the control of too many Departments.