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METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF FULHAM
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
FULHAM, S.W.6.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF FULHAM.
Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report on the health of the
Borough of Fulham for the year 1952. As in former years the report
follows the form indicated to Medical Officers by the Minister of Health
and includes the report of your Public Analyst, Mr, T. McLachlan,
A.C.G.F.C., F.R.I.C., on 800 samples of food and drugs examined, and a
report from Dr. H,C. Price, Chest Physician of the Fulham Chest Clinic,
which gives details of the tuberculosis position in Fulham. I should
like to record my indebtedness for their contributions.
The mid-year population of the Borough, estimated by the Registrar
General, is given as 122,800, showing a slight increase from 1951 (122,400) .
The Birth Rate, 13.99 per 1,000 is a trifle lower than the 1951
figure (14,04. per 1,000); the Still Birth Rate is 0.3 (compared with
0.34 in 1951) and the Infantile Mortality Rate of 25.6 per 1,000 births
the second lowest on record for this Borough - shows a further slight
decline on the previous year's figure (26,5 in 1951).
The Death Rate, including all forms of tuberculosis, is also lower
11,9 (compared with 12.9 in 1951). The number of deaths in the Borough
was 1,461. There was one maternal death, giving a rate of 57 per 1,000
births. In 1951 the figure was .58 per 1,000 births.
Fog in London is always a serious matter. In the early part of
December, London experienced for four days a most serious fog which, it
is estimated, was responsible for some 4,000 deaths in Greater London.
There were 47 such deaths in Fulham, details of which appear in the main
report. The Ministry of Health, with the co-operation of Borough
Medical Officers of Health, made a full investigation into all deaths
due to fog, including an investigation of any existing infection in the
home or other predisposing factors. It may be of interest to note the
following:-