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TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
To the Board of Works of the Fulham District.
Gentlemen,
On the 3rd day of March, 1856, I had the honor of being appointed
Medical Officer of Health for the Fulham District, by the then existin
Board, and have now, consequently, to present to you my Twentiet
Annual Report.
It was under the "Metropolis Local Management Act," 1855, that
the first grand step was taken to place the Public Health and Seweragty
of London under something like a systematic supervision, for although
a "Nuisances Removal Act," had for sometime been in operation,
was, at best, only an incumbrance attached to the Poor Law system
applied alike as it was necessarily both to Urban and Rural Districts
equally to small as to large communities.
The extraordinary growth of this great city, gradually forced itself
into public notice, and the sanitary condition of its Inhabitants naturally
shared in its general importance.
The City of London "proper" i e: that portion of greater London
lying within the City walls had long recognized the necessity for
Sanitary regime within its boundary, and the admirable measures taken
by its Medical Officer of Health, Mr. Simon, and his luminous reports
presented to the Corporation, laid tho foundation for a still greater
work to be applied to outer London. The occasion was somewhat
novel. Sanitary science had scarcely taken roct among the Medical
community, and had no hold upon the public mind. The weekly returns:
of the Registrar General compiled with consummate care and labour,
had for several years pointed to the existence of uncontrolled disease and
the warning of that great functionary gradually told upon the intelligence
of the people. Public health became an institution, and Parliament
endorsed its importance. The combined passing of the "Metropolis
Local Management and Nuisances Removal Acts" of 1855, initiated its
application to the largest community in the world. Public medicine,
however, had taken comparatively little footing in our Medical Schools, .
and there were few men to be found, even in London, specially educated
to tho work.
Tho task of choosing a responsible Medical adviser was, however, |
thrown by the Legislature, on Vestries and District Boards, a labour
alike, difficult and hazardous. How far tho judgment of the different
authorities was exercised rightly, is evidenced in the fact that of those
first appointed, many (myself amongst the number) still retain their
appointments, whilst several have resigned for Government Inspectorships,
and none have been displaced for incompetence and incapability,