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June 2002 - Jubilee
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SANITARY INSPECTORS IN WARTIME |
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"In the tragic event of another war overtaking us, history seems likely to be repeated, so far as sanitary inspectors are concerned. During the first years of World War Two, sanitary inspectors undertook many civil defence duties, often in a full-time capacity. They became ambulance officers, instructors and manned report and control centres as well as performing tasks such as billeting and food decontamination, which were more appropriate to their training and normal duties. By 1941, there was an acute shortage of sanitary inspectors, which was accentuated by the reduction in the flow of new recruits. As a result, many local authorities found themselves with inadequate staff to maintain their public health services at a proper standard of efficiency. In any future war the maintenance of the health and sanitary services will certainly be no less important that in 1939-1945 and with the development of atomic weapons and biological warfare there are good reasons for believing that unprecedented health hazards will face the country. The General Council have felt that official guidance is urgently required from the government departments concerned with the various aspects of hygiene and environmental sanitation, so that sanitary inspectors may know what will be expected of them in wartime. A number of departments have been approached, but the enquiries made have elicited very little information. The Ministry of Health have said that there is no intention at present of varying in wartime any of the statutory duties of the sanitary inspectors. It is true that the memorandum referred to stresses the importance of environmental health services, but it does not appear to have been appreciated by the draftsmen that sanitary inspectors have some connection with these services, for it does not contain a single reference to them. This is quite incomprehensible. There the matter rests at the moment, but we would suggest that it should not [be] allowed to remain there for very long. It is prudent to formulate plans well in advance to meet a possible emergency. We pray that it will never be necessary to put the plans into operation, but at least sanitary inspectors may justifiably expect some official guidance on this important matter." The Sanitarian,
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