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METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF FULHAM
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Fulham, S.W.6.
September, 1945.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on
the Health of the Borough for the year 1944 on behalf of Dr. J.A.
Scott under whose direction the work of the Health Department
was carried out.
Dr. Scott left Fulham early in January, 1945, after
having served the Council as Medical Officer of Health since 1935•
His tenure of office coincided with a very strenuous period, both
in the history of the Borough of Fulham and that of the nation
for following the threatening aspect of international relations
in 1938 the storm burst in 1939; and at the time of Dr. Scott's
departure to take up the office of a Principal Medical Officer
under the London County Council early in this year the war was
still in progress.
During his term of office many important local developments
in health activities took place - chiefly in the direction
of housing and clearance, the opening of the Borough Maternity
Home, the inception of a part-time Foot Clinic and the further
expansion of the Child Welfare Services.
The staff of the Department will remember, with much
appreciation, many acts of kindness and consideration which
Dr. Scott was always willing to render to those in need.
Another member of the staff who will be much missed is
Mr. A.T. Hurford, the Chief Clerk and Vaccination Officer, who
retired in December after 40 years' honourable service in the
Department. Mr. Hurford has seen the Department grow from very
small beginnings and has taken his full share in the development
of the many activities now carried on.
During the year under review the calls of Civil Defence
made many heavy demands upon the staff of the department -
particularly during the blitz period early in the year and the
long spell of flying bomb activity which commenced in June. It
was therefore inevitable that the normal work should suffer to
some extent by delay or the temporary suspension of activity:
and in this connection I have to record with much regret that
the Fulham Babies' Hospital in Broomhouse Road was badly damaged
and put out of action by a flying bomb explosion in its vicinity
at the end of July. Fortunately no casualties occurred amongst
the inmates or staff of the hospital. At the present time the
building is being repaired and when it is possible to re-open
will fill a much needed gap .in the services of the Borough Council.
Tuberculosis - Memorandum 266T. The allowance scheme
(first started in June, 1943) has been carried on throughout the
year and it is now possible to make some kind of estimate of its
value. Under the scheme, for the benefit of those who may not
be familiar with its essentials, I would state briefly that
monetary allowances are provided for certain cases who have to stop
working (on doctor's advice) in order to undergo treatment for the
disease, and in whom there is a reasonable chance of eventual
restoration to good working capacity by the treatment. It will