[Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Martley R.D.C.
- Martley (England). Rural District Council.
- Date:
- 1950
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Martley R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.
17/36 page 13
![MuARTLEY RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT OF TliE SAIJITARY OFFICER AND BUILD BTC- SURVEYOR RilxIIo Ilealt}’ ..Department, 1 The Tything, y/orcester. Septembe.r, 1931» To the Rural District Council of Martley I/ir. Chairman and G-entlemen,. I have pleasure in submitting my fourth annual report on the work of my Department in relation to the administration of the Rural District for the year ending 31st December, 193C. The atte.ched report will show that, whilst there were no major ini.iovations during the year, the health of the district remained remarkably good. Some credit for this must be claimed fo.r the preventitive side, as opposed to the curative side, of the health organistion, in which is included control of hous- j.ng, water supplies, sewage disposal and general hygiene matters. The Publi.c Health Department is concerned primarily in this type of v/ork and, whilst it is desired to carry out many improvements, the number of routine duties makes it difficult to m.ake any rapid progress in this field. These routine duties include far too much clericel vrark for your technical officers and this is det- .rimcntal to the practical side of their viroik. As suggested on frequent occasions, the solution lies in the employment of better qualified clerical assist.ance which v/ould, I am sure, prove more economical in the long run. There are indications tha.t other authorities are attempting to usu]:p) some of the functions for v/hich the Loca.1 A.uthority are entirely responsible; it is difficult to give definite examples of this a.s the method v/ould appear to be one of gradual infil¬ tration, especially in malters relating to public health. It is imperative tha.t, in the interests of the residents in the district, every effort should be made to keep these matters in the hands of the local authority. The only nev/ leglislo.tion of any note passed during the year where full responsibility was placed on the Local A.uthoi-ity was ti:i.e Rats & Mice Destiaiction Act, This is not an Act which arcuses i.:uch enthusiasm with Rural Authorities but it is hoped that it }; :'.y t.he first step towards the decentralisation of more important Viatters, The decision of the Council to proceed wdth a comprehensive scheme of v/ater supply is probably the most m^omentous in tlie 'n story of the Council and may result in great changes taking r.'lace wtiich con not be forscen a.t the present. It is hoped that wlien the schem.e is submitted for Governmient approval, little delay ol.ll result i.n the sinking of a trial borehole and that a start be made in providing wate.r in those a.reas v/here it is required ou urgently. Initial steps have been taken during the year to overcom.e the dj iTficulties of sewage disposed in those districts wh':.re the provision of 7/o.rks ere moat necesseay. Progress on such works is necessarily slov/ owing to the various authorities](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29792861_0017.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
