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Extraodinary and Ordinary Meeting, September 17th
PUBLIC
HEALTH
SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS O F Telephone: EUSton 3 9 2 3
HEALTH
TAVISTOCK HOUSE, TAVISTOCK SQUARE. LONDON, W.C.1
No. 12. Vol. LXVI
Telegrams: Epidauros, Westcent
SEPTEMBER, 1953 CONTENTS PAGE
Public I-tealtk Inspectors
EDITORIAL
..................
SPECIAL ARTICLES P r o b i n g tile M y s t e r i e s of Kealth. B y Jotm Maddison, m.D., D.P.m P r o g r e s s of Public H e a l t h in London. B y A n d r e w J. Shinnie, O.B,E.~ lCI,D., D.P.IK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Results of B.C.G, Vaecinatiort in J e r s e y . 13y R. "N. M c K i n s t r y , o-e.z., ~.D., I).P2~L, and~ A. S. D a r l i n g , ~ . m , D.P.~ . . . . . . .
PAGE
185
The Prevention or" Food Poisoning due to Pressed Meat Products. By A. I. Ross, M.D., D.p.~r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
186
Extraordinary and Ordinary Meetings, September 17th . . . . . . Dental Officers' Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]Y.[aternity and Child Welfare G r o u p ............
SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH Notices
188 191
EDITORIAL
Public H e a l t h Inspectors Just over two years ago the Working Party set up by the then Minis~)er of Health, Mr. Marquand, " to enquire into the nature of the work at present being done b y s a n i t a r y inspectors and the nature and functioning of the present arrangements for their recruitment, training and qualification, and to report on the adequacy of such arrangements," held its first meeting. T h e r e a f t e r it received written and oral evidence f r o m 24 bodies, written evidence only f r o m 10 bodies and individuals, and oral evidence only f r o m five o t h e r s . T h e two _sanitary inspector members have visited 103 local authorities of all types and all the members have visited the S.I. examinations. Lastly, the Working Party, which consisted of only six m e m b e r s , including the chairman, Sir J o h n Maude, has had the advice of a Steering C o m m i t t e e of 17 representatives of G o v e r n m e n t departments and associations, though, as the report now issued* is that of the W o r k i n g Party only, we are a little vague as to the actual part played by the Committee. T h e results of the Working Party's labours are impressive and the report seems to us a model for similar enquiries. T h e factual information obtained (by carefully devised questionnaires) a b o u t the present-day work of the S.I. reveals how far it has progressed not only since the pre1872 days of the Inspector of Nuisances, but even in recent y e a r s - - j u s t as m u c h indeed as has that of the NIedical Officer. T h e t y p e of entrant to the office of S.I. has likewise changed, so that of those qualifying between 1946 and 1951, 71% had matriculated or held the School Certificate; recruitment is n o w i n c r e a s i n g l y from g r a m m a r school boys doing clerical work for local a u t h o r i t i e s . F o r the future the G . C , E . , with passes in four subjects, is recomm e n d e d as the standard of preliminary education required. T h e altered nature of the S . I ' s is also r e c o m m e n d e d to be given recognition b y the n e w title which we have placed at the head of this c o m m e n t . T h e most drastic recommendations, as to the examination and the examining body, are likely to cause m i x e d feelings in some quarterS. T h e Society in its evidence u r g e d a * Report of the Working Party on the Recruitment, Training and Qualification of Sanitary Inspectors. (Pp, 145. Price 4s. 6d. net.) London : H.M. Stationery Office. 1953.
OFFICIAL
185 190 '190
NOTICES
Blackpaol C.B.; Nottingham E.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
200
basic examination comprising the standard in inspection of meat and foods which now requires the additional certificate granted by the R.S.I. T h i s point has been adopted b y the Working party, which r e c o m m e n d s a comprehensive training of four years, followed by one examination to be c o n d u c t e d by a new body to be k n o w n as the Public H e a l t h Inspectors Education Board, on which the inspectors themselves would have an enlarged representation (10 out of 24 instead of two out of 30 on the present R.S.I. and S.I. Examination Joint Board). The recommendation that the Society of M . O . H . should retain three direct representatives on the new Board and the several references to the " g e n e r a l direction " exercised by the M . O . H . over the work of his colleague the Public Health Inspector will, we hope, allay the doubts which have b e e n f o m e n t e d on the continuation of the existing relationship. But perhaps this m a t t e r will now be clarified by a n e w version of the Sanitary Officers Regulations. T h i s report should be closely studied by all c o n c e r n e d w i t h the efficiency and welfare of the health department's .personnel. Incidentally, the wording, of the whole report is a m o d e l of lucidity (note the way in which the short o p e n i n g chapter describes the developmental period of the public health service in Britain) ; for this good writing we p r e s u m e that Mr. W. A. Fuller, the secretary, is the m a n to w h o m the credit should be given.
The Society of Medical Officers of Health Formal notice has been sent by post to every member of the Society of the holding of an Extraordinary Meeting on Thursday, September 17th, at 5 p.m., at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, when the following special resolution will be submitted : That the name of the Association be changed from " The Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h " to " T h e Society of Preventive Medicine," and that the Artictes of Association of the Company be amended accordingly. An Ordinary Meeting will follow at 5.30 p.m., when the new President, Dr. Charles Metcalfe Brown, will be installed and deliver his address. At 6_30 ~.m. there will be a cocktail party. Members who wish to attend the latter are asked to inform the Administrative Officer by September 8th.
HEALTH
SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS O F Telephone: EUSton 3 9 2 3
HEALTH
TAVISTOCK HOUSE, TAVISTOCK SQUARE. LONDON, W.C.1
No. 12. Vol. LXVI
Telegrams: Epidauros, Westcent
SEPTEMBER, 1953 CONTENTS PAGE
Public I-tealtk Inspectors
EDITORIAL
..................
SPECIAL ARTICLES P r o b i n g tile M y s t e r i e s of Kealth. B y Jotm Maddison, m.D., D.P.m P r o g r e s s of Public H e a l t h in London. B y A n d r e w J. Shinnie, O.B,E.~ lCI,D., D.P.IK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Results of B.C.G, Vaecinatiort in J e r s e y . 13y R. "N. M c K i n s t r y , o-e.z., ~.D., I).P2~L, and~ A. S. D a r l i n g , ~ . m , D.P.~ . . . . . . .
PAGE
185
The Prevention or" Food Poisoning due to Pressed Meat Products. By A. I. Ross, M.D., D.p.~r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
186
Extraordinary and Ordinary Meetings, September 17th . . . . . . Dental Officers' Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]Y.[aternity and Child Welfare G r o u p ............
SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH Notices
188 191
EDITORIAL
Public H e a l t h Inspectors Just over two years ago the Working Party set up by the then Minis~)er of Health, Mr. Marquand, " to enquire into the nature of the work at present being done b y s a n i t a r y inspectors and the nature and functioning of the present arrangements for their recruitment, training and qualification, and to report on the adequacy of such arrangements," held its first meeting. T h e r e a f t e r it received written and oral evidence f r o m 24 bodies, written evidence only f r o m 10 bodies and individuals, and oral evidence only f r o m five o t h e r s . T h e two _sanitary inspector members have visited 103 local authorities of all types and all the members have visited the S.I. examinations. Lastly, the Working Party, which consisted of only six m e m b e r s , including the chairman, Sir J o h n Maude, has had the advice of a Steering C o m m i t t e e of 17 representatives of G o v e r n m e n t departments and associations, though, as the report now issued* is that of the W o r k i n g Party only, we are a little vague as to the actual part played by the Committee. T h e results of the Working Party's labours are impressive and the report seems to us a model for similar enquiries. T h e factual information obtained (by carefully devised questionnaires) a b o u t the present-day work of the S.I. reveals how far it has progressed not only since the pre1872 days of the Inspector of Nuisances, but even in recent y e a r s - - j u s t as m u c h indeed as has that of the NIedical Officer. T h e t y p e of entrant to the office of S.I. has likewise changed, so that of those qualifying between 1946 and 1951, 71% had matriculated or held the School Certificate; recruitment is n o w i n c r e a s i n g l y from g r a m m a r school boys doing clerical work for local a u t h o r i t i e s . F o r the future the G . C , E . , with passes in four subjects, is recomm e n d e d as the standard of preliminary education required. T h e altered nature of the S . I ' s is also r e c o m m e n d e d to be given recognition b y the n e w title which we have placed at the head of this c o m m e n t . T h e most drastic recommendations, as to the examination and the examining body, are likely to cause m i x e d feelings in some quarterS. T h e Society in its evidence u r g e d a * Report of the Working Party on the Recruitment, Training and Qualification of Sanitary Inspectors. (Pp, 145. Price 4s. 6d. net.) London : H.M. Stationery Office. 1953.
OFFICIAL
185 190 '190
NOTICES
Blackpaol C.B.; Nottingham E.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
200
basic examination comprising the standard in inspection of meat and foods which now requires the additional certificate granted by the R.S.I. T h i s point has been adopted b y the Working party, which r e c o m m e n d s a comprehensive training of four years, followed by one examination to be c o n d u c t e d by a new body to be k n o w n as the Public H e a l t h Inspectors Education Board, on which the inspectors themselves would have an enlarged representation (10 out of 24 instead of two out of 30 on the present R.S.I. and S.I. Examination Joint Board). The recommendation that the Society of M . O . H . should retain three direct representatives on the new Board and the several references to the " g e n e r a l direction " exercised by the M . O . H . over the work of his colleague the Public Health Inspector will, we hope, allay the doubts which have b e e n f o m e n t e d on the continuation of the existing relationship. But perhaps this m a t t e r will now be clarified by a n e w version of the Sanitary Officers Regulations. T h i s report should be closely studied by all c o n c e r n e d w i t h the efficiency and welfare of the health department's .personnel. Incidentally, the wording, of the whole report is a m o d e l of lucidity (note the way in which the short o p e n i n g chapter describes the developmental period of the public health service in Britain) ; for this good writing we p r e s u m e that Mr. W. A. Fuller, the secretary, is the m a n to w h o m the credit should be given.
The Society of Medical Officers of Health Formal notice has been sent by post to every member of the Society of the holding of an Extraordinary Meeting on Thursday, September 17th, at 5 p.m., at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, when the following special resolution will be submitted : That the name of the Association be changed from " The Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h " to " T h e Society of Preventive Medicine," and that the Artictes of Association of the Company be amended accordingly. An Ordinary Meeting will follow at 5.30 p.m., when the new President, Dr. Charles Metcalfe Brown, will be installed and deliver his address. At 6_30 ~.m. there will be a cocktail party. Members who wish to attend the latter are asked to inform the Administrative Officer by September 8th.