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4
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF FULHAM
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
TOWN HALL, FULHAM, S.W,6.
May, I960.
To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham
Mr. Mayor Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the annual report on the health and sanitary
circumstances in the Borough for the year 1959. together with the report of your
Public Analyst. T. McLachlan. Esq., A. C. G. F. C., F. R. I.C.
I am pleased to report that there has been no serious outbreak of infectious
disease during the year and the health of the inhabitants has remained
satisfactory.
In June the Council lost the services, by retirement, of Dr. Mary I. Adams, who
had been Medical Officer of Health since 1949 and Deputy Medical Officer of Health
from 1948 to 1949.
The writer took up duty on the 21st September, 1959, and in view of the short
time I have been in office during the period under review, my observations and
comments are necessarily limited.
It is gratifying to find the Council and the residents so enthusiastic in
implementing the Clean Air Act and the progress made at the end of 1959 is two Smoke
Control areas in operation, covering 9,754 properties and a third Smoke Control area
awaiting formal approval, covering 2,483 properties. These are developments of
which the Borough can be justifiably proud. In my opinion the ridding of the
atmosphere of this country of the largely unnecessary man-made pollution is the
most important public health problem to be faced in the next few years. At the
end of the year attention was being given to possible ways in which the present
programme which aims to make the whole Borough smoke-free by 1967 could be
accelerated.
Taking up duty in a new post as a stranger to the district brings many problems
and it is with pleasure that I place on record my sincere appreciation of the help
and encouragement I have received from the Chairman and Members of the Health
Committee, Members of the Council, and my Chief Officer, colleagues and their staffs.
In my own Department I am particularly indebted to my deputy. Dr. C A. Meade,
the Chief Public Health Inspector, Mr. G. W. Herrick, my Chief Clerk, Mr. J. Burton,
and my Secretary. Miss R. P. Begg, for their patience and willing help at all
times and to all members of the Public Health Department staff for their loyal
assistance.