View report page

Ful 39
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF FULHAM
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Fulham,S.W.6.
August, 1949.
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 1948. As in previous
years this report is again presented in an abridged form on
the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
According to the Registrar General ' s estimate, the
mid-year population of the Borough was 123,300, which shews an
increase of 1,020 over the estimated mid-year figure for 1947.
The birth-rate of 18.3 per 1,000 of the population
is somewhat decreased (21.58 in 1947); the infantile mortality
rate 26.5 per 1,000 live births shews a considerable decrease
on the figure for the previous year which was 32.9 per 1,000
population, and is again the lowest rate on record for the
Borough.
The year's statistical records indicate that the
health of the Borough was maintained at a satisfactory standard
and there was nothing of particular interest from the infectious
disease standpoint and no outbreaks of any special nature.
Great and far reaching changes were brought about in
1948 by the commencement in operation of the three great Acts,
the National Health Service Act, the National Insurance Act,
and the National Assistance Act; and as social welfare services
were so vitally affected, as might be expected the year proved
a very heavy one for the Public Health Departments all over
the country.
The Fulham Matornity and Child Welfare and
Tuberculosis Dispensary services were transferred chiefly to
the London County Council and partly to the Regional Hospital
Board on 5th July, 1948. It was undoubtedly a matter of great
regret and concern that the very fine Maternity Home and
Welfare Clinics at Parsons Green had to leave our jurisdiction
alone with all the other personal health services, such as
Home Help Service, the Ultra-Violet Light and Chirepodists'
departments (the latter having had such success in the preceding
two years, that it was found necessary to obtain the services
of an additional full time chiropodist in February 1948, and
open another centre on a part time basis, as well as increasing
the scope of the main clinic in Fulham Road).
It might be quite reasonably expected that such
tremendous changes would have caused a big disruption in the
Welfare Services, and inevitably there has been a certain
amount of difficulty; but it is quite correct to say that
generally the services have been efficiently maintained throughout
with but little impairment of their functions, and that
very cordial co-operation on both sides has been a feature
which may well have had a bearing on this.