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18
After Care
After Care problems covered a wide field. Close liaison with the Divisional Health
Offices and National Assistance Board enabled patients to be provided with free, or near
free, extra nourishment, recuperative holidays and domestic help.
Many applications were made to the London County Council and Borough Housing
Departments, and a few families were rehoused. Poor housing still constitutes the
largest single problem the After Care Department must face, for it brings many other
difficulties in its wake. Marital troubles, children's behaviour problems, depression,
anxiety and actual physical set back in health seemed more often than not to be largely
caused by poor and inadequate housing conditions.
Re-settlement Clinics continued to be held once a month. These are held at the
Chest Clinic and attended by the Ministry of Labour Disablement Re-settlement Officer,
the Chest Physician, the Care Organiser and each individual patient requiring help in
his problems of return to working life.
Patients continued to do Diversional Therapy work at home and at Hurlingham Lodge,
and the Pottery Classes continued to meet twice weekly.
The Fulham Tuberculosis Care Committee was able to give financial aid on 62 occasions
to clinic patients. Help of this kind included fares, holidays, clothing, removals and
many other emergencies. Forty patients received special Christmas gifts.
Deaths due to Respiratory Disease in Fulham
The winter of 1960/61 was similar to the previous winter, in that it was mild, but, in
spite of this, there was a continued rise in the mortality from bronchitis in both sexes.

Smoking and Disease in Human Beings
The debate on this subject continues along the lines of Macaulays "Lays of Ancient
Rome" - except that those behind are crying 'forward' with less conviction. Most of the
emphasis centres on the relationship between smoking and the development in later life of
carcinoma of the bronchus. The increased incidence of bronchitis, coronary thrombosis,
gastric disorders and the break down of tuberculosis lesions in the 45- age group in male
smokers in mainly ignored, these latter conditions being a much greater medico social
problem and carrying a greater mortality rate than cancer of the bronchus. The measure
taken to combat atmospheric pollution, inadequate as they are in the light of present
scientific knowledge, will have little effect on the incidence of coronary disease and
gastric and duodenal disorders.