[Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Bridge-Blean R.D.C.

  • Bridge-Blean (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Bridge-Blean R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    protection in our chilcl population. We now have in the 5-15 group over 90% who at some tine have had Diptheria Immunisation. But the younger children are only 60% protected. Smallpox Vaccination 130 primary vaccinations were carried out, 122 in those under 5 yrs, representing just 50% of the hirth intake. GENERAL MATTERS The section contributed by Dir. Brewster, Senior Public Health Inspector, which follows gives a more detailed survey of other matters of public health interest, but a few items are mentioned here as being of special interest. The Medical Officer of Health is still concerned in advising on environmental matters which due to the progress that has already been made in the public health field may not now appear to be the province of a medical man. Because progress in social and preventive medicine has kept pace with environmental hygiene the responsibilities of the Medical Officer of Health in the latter field of activity remain unchanged• Housing The progress in housing tenants from condemned properties or from properties listed in our slum removal programme is hindered because this duty of the Council is unaided by the clamant demands of the tenants who in general are inured to their living conditions. The more vociferous claims from inconvenienced, crowded or other housing applicants misleads the Council in applying priorities to the detriment of its duty as a public health authority to move people out of unfit dwellings into reason- able living conditions. Some progress is now being made in the latter direction. Clearance and redevelopment of the site of a block of wooden cottages in Bridge has been completed. Two groups of cottages in Adisham are being dealt with and alternative houses provided. In the latter case some delay was caused by thoughts to purchase and renovate one row of unfit dwellings, a measure that would have delayed the inevitable for perhaps fifteen or twenty years. This expensive perpetuation of the inconvenience of others was fortunately abandoned. Housing of Old Persons We are now moving towards some schemes of suitable dwellings for old persons and the unit of dwellings at Lynton Cottages, Bridge is a step forward. Old and Infirm Persons No case required the use of Section 47, National Assistance Act. Other action was successful in one case of a physically handicapped man of 60 living alone in an unsatisfactory breeze block hut in Hoath. The interest of the County Medical Officers staff in elderly or infirm persons is always observed. Q o.