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Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
FULHAM, S.W.6.
July, 1936.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the health and sanitary conditions
of the Borough for the year 1935.
The year has been a reasonably healthy one with no outstanding conditions affecting
the health and well-being of the population.
The death rate shows a diminution from 12.7 to 11.7, the decrease being mainly due
to the non-occurrence of the bi-ennial measles epidemic. The Infant Mortality rate, possibly
owing to the absence of the same factor, has also shown a satisfactory drop from 59 to 51.
Whilst no Ministry of Health Housing Enquiries have been held, the Department has
been active in house-to-house inspections and in the Survey of the district with a view to the
future demolition of insanitary property. In particular, the survey of all the working-class
houses in the district to determine the extent of overcrowding in accordance with the
provisions of the Housing Act, 1935, has led to the accumulation of valuable information
which will help in the determination of future needs.
Staff Changes. Dr. J. Sullivan, who had been Tuberculosis Officer since November,
1912, and Medical Officer of Health since June, 1926, resigned his appointment in July, 1935,
after 23 years of devoted service, on the grounds of ill-health.
The Council appointed an additional Housing Inspector in February, 1935, bringing
the number of Housing Inspectors to three. In order to facilitate the work of the Sanitary
Inspectors two additional Junior Clerks were appointed during the year.
The growth of the Maternity and Child Welfare Department's work also led to the
appointment of an additional Maternity and Child Welfare Clerk in March, 1935.
I regret to record the death of Mr. S. Webb, the driver of the Disinfecting Van, in
December, 1935.
The report this year contains an unusually large number of tables and will furnish
correspondingly hard reading. No more concise method of presenting the facts bearing on the
health and well-being of the inhabitants of the Borough is, however, available.
I have much pleasure in being able to record at the end of such a short period my
appreciation of the efficient work of an enthusiastic staff.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yours faithfully,
J. A. SCOTT.
Medical Officer of Health.