London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Fulham 1959

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]

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65
Discussion Groups and Talks
These were given on a variety of subjects. The talks all dealt with some
particular aspect of the Department's activities.
Six Discussion Groups were held to a total audience of 131
persons - average attendance 22.
Seven Talks were given to a total audience of 181 persons
average attendance 26.
One film show was arranged for members of the Fulham Palace Road Congregational
Church, which was attended by 73 persons.
Posters and Leaflets
Every opportunity was taken to distribute leaflets and display posters within the
restrictions of limited space and finance, the Public Health Enquiry Foyer being the
principal place used for this purpose.
Visits by Students
Apart from the regular bi-monthly visits to the Disinfecting Station of students
from the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene studying for their diplomas in
Public Health and Industrial Health, five students from London University taking their
diploma in Health Education, also visited the Department for one day a week over a
period of eight weeks. These students, who came from all over the world, were shown
the work of the Department, especially in the way of Health Education.
Arrangements were made, in co-operation with the Borough Architect, Mr. E. A. H.
MacDonald, for a group of twelve medical practitioners studying for the Diploma in
Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, to visit and
inspect certain old and unfit properties in the Borough and also two modern Council
Housing estates. The students also carried out an investigation into the social and
health changes which could be attributed to rehousing, interviewing a large number of
rehoused families in their new homes for this purpose. From the findings of the
survey, it seemed that the great majority of persons rehoused on the Council's estates
were happy and well adjusted in their new surroundings.
FULHAM MORTUARY
Following the decision of the Hammersmith Council that their Mortuary would have
to be reconstructed as it was not large enough to deal with the increased use being
made of it, the West London Coroner requested permission to use the Fulham Mortuary
for some of his cases. This was agreed to and this arrangement was operative from
the 4th February to the 9th October. The post mortem work was carried out by the
Hammersmith Borough Council staff. Hammersmith paid a fee for the facilities
provided and the hours worked by our Mortuary Keeper when acting as a holiday relief
for the Hammersmith staff. The work carried out during the above period was as
follows -
716 bodies were dealt with from Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith and
Kensington, 5 of these bodies being admitted at the request
of undertakers, i.e. convenience cases, the remaining 711
all being post mortems.
In addition there were 47 Fulham convenience cases accommodated - 29 from 1st
January to 4th February, 18 from 9th October, to 31st December, 1959.