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Dr. R. J. Ewart, M.O.H., Barking
27o
PUB LIC
cowsheds, slaughterhouses, common lodging houses, and later, of seamen's lodging houses; nuisance abatement and the like ; framing new codes of byelaws and bringing them into operation ; strengthening the sanitary staffs in various parts of the county; and taxing action in connection with infectious disease prevalence, for exarnpIe, in connection with the cholera of 1898, the smallpox of 1898 and 1901-0'2, and various milk and other outbreaks occurring from time to time. From the outset Shirley Murphy had been specially interested in the work of the Epidemiological Society, of which he was fbr many years Secretary and later President ; in that of the Medical Officers of Schools Association; and of the Statistical Society of which he became a Vice-President. He drew attention in a Memorandum on Diphtheria in London to the question of the altered age-incidence of that disease, and was thus ted to comment upon the August depression in the curve of notifications, and to make a special study of school influence in favouring spread of diphtheria and other diseases. As Medical Officer of Health in London he was able to accomplish much during his 66 years of office. In 1905 on the occasion of a dinner in honour of Sir ShMey and Lady Murphy, he spoke of the growing esteem in which the public was beginning to hold the work of public health. He referred to the Medical Officers of the early days, Simon, Buchanan, Ballard and others; he added that the Society of Medical Officers of Health had played an important part in increasing the influence of. Medical Officers of Health. His friend, Sir Arthur Whitelegge, on the same occasion also alluded to the increasing appreciation of public health services which was so noticeable, and added that in his judgment they all owed much to Shirley Murphy for the part he had played in securing advance in Public Health matters. Sir Arthur Whitelegge referred, moreover, to the assistance which Sir Shirley received from Lady Murphy in enabling him to keep abreast of all the latest work at home and abroad, and Sir Shirley, in acknowledgment of this, remarked, " Although she has not a degree in Medicine, my wife has always taken an active interest in the work of the Medical Officer of Health." He also spoke of the assistance he had received from Government Departments and from his colleagues, the London Medical Officers, " whose friendly co-operation was something he valued very highly." Soon after Sir Shirley's final retirement fi'om the post of Consulting Medical Officer of Health in London, the war broke out and he at once offered his services, and was made Lt.-Col. in charge of the London Sanitary Service at the Horse Guards
HEALTH.
JULY,
This work brought him, of course; into association again with his former colleagues, the London Medical Officers of Health, and he entered into it with all his old zeal and enthusiasm. In 1921 he found further scope for his energies as one of the Ministry of Health's Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. He was awarded the Bissett Hawkins medal by the Royal College of Physicians in 1908 and the Jenner medal of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1921. He was a F.R.C.S. and served in 196t as Master of the Apothecaries Company with which he had long been associated. A memorial service was held on May 1st at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the interment took place at Brookwood Cemetery, where his grave is near those of his old friends, Sir George Buchanan and Sir William Power.
DR. R. J. EWART, M.O.H., BARKING.
By the death of Dr. Ewart the Public Health Service has lost the kind of member that it can least afford to spare. He belonged to the comparatively small band of ardent investigators and research workers. The average medical officer of health has few opportunities for research: he is usually an overworked official with little or no time for hobbies, but Dr. Ewart was fortunate in being able to give a good deal of time to his researches, and his publications have all of them most stimulating suggestions to make for those who succeed him. Striking evidence of the affection in which he was held in his district was forthcoming at the time of the funeral, and the high opinion in which he was held by the Barking District Council is evidenced by the resolution that was passed, " That the Council place on record its appreciation of the eminent services rendered to the district by Dr. Ewart during the eleven years that he held the office of Medical Officer of Health, etc., and that the Clerk be directed to convey to Mrs. Ewart the deep sympathy and condolences of the Council on his decease." At the meeting the Chairman of the Public Health Committee expressed the deep regret of that Committee at the untimely death of Dr. Ewart. Many members will remember his paper given at a recent meeting of the M.O.H. Society, when convincing evidence of Ewart's wonderful assiduity was forthcoming in the wealth of information and figures which he produced. We do not know yet whether it will be possible to produce this paper as the author was at work upon its final edition for the press at the time of his death.
PUB LIC
cowsheds, slaughterhouses, common lodging houses, and later, of seamen's lodging houses; nuisance abatement and the like ; framing new codes of byelaws and bringing them into operation ; strengthening the sanitary staffs in various parts of the county; and taxing action in connection with infectious disease prevalence, for exarnpIe, in connection with the cholera of 1898, the smallpox of 1898 and 1901-0'2, and various milk and other outbreaks occurring from time to time. From the outset Shirley Murphy had been specially interested in the work of the Epidemiological Society, of which he was fbr many years Secretary and later President ; in that of the Medical Officers of Schools Association; and of the Statistical Society of which he became a Vice-President. He drew attention in a Memorandum on Diphtheria in London to the question of the altered age-incidence of that disease, and was thus ted to comment upon the August depression in the curve of notifications, and to make a special study of school influence in favouring spread of diphtheria and other diseases. As Medical Officer of Health in London he was able to accomplish much during his 66 years of office. In 1905 on the occasion of a dinner in honour of Sir ShMey and Lady Murphy, he spoke of the growing esteem in which the public was beginning to hold the work of public health. He referred to the Medical Officers of the early days, Simon, Buchanan, Ballard and others; he added that the Society of Medical Officers of Health had played an important part in increasing the influence of. Medical Officers of Health. His friend, Sir Arthur Whitelegge, on the same occasion also alluded to the increasing appreciation of public health services which was so noticeable, and added that in his judgment they all owed much to Shirley Murphy for the part he had played in securing advance in Public Health matters. Sir Arthur Whitelegge referred, moreover, to the assistance which Sir Shirley received from Lady Murphy in enabling him to keep abreast of all the latest work at home and abroad, and Sir Shirley, in acknowledgment of this, remarked, " Although she has not a degree in Medicine, my wife has always taken an active interest in the work of the Medical Officer of Health." He also spoke of the assistance he had received from Government Departments and from his colleagues, the London Medical Officers, " whose friendly co-operation was something he valued very highly." Soon after Sir Shirley's final retirement fi'om the post of Consulting Medical Officer of Health in London, the war broke out and he at once offered his services, and was made Lt.-Col. in charge of the London Sanitary Service at the Horse Guards
HEALTH.
JULY,
This work brought him, of course; into association again with his former colleagues, the London Medical Officers of Health, and he entered into it with all his old zeal and enthusiasm. In 1921 he found further scope for his energies as one of the Ministry of Health's Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. He was awarded the Bissett Hawkins medal by the Royal College of Physicians in 1908 and the Jenner medal of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1921. He was a F.R.C.S. and served in 196t as Master of the Apothecaries Company with which he had long been associated. A memorial service was held on May 1st at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the interment took place at Brookwood Cemetery, where his grave is near those of his old friends, Sir George Buchanan and Sir William Power.
DR. R. J. EWART, M.O.H., BARKING.
By the death of Dr. Ewart the Public Health Service has lost the kind of member that it can least afford to spare. He belonged to the comparatively small band of ardent investigators and research workers. The average medical officer of health has few opportunities for research: he is usually an overworked official with little or no time for hobbies, but Dr. Ewart was fortunate in being able to give a good deal of time to his researches, and his publications have all of them most stimulating suggestions to make for those who succeed him. Striking evidence of the affection in which he was held in his district was forthcoming at the time of the funeral, and the high opinion in which he was held by the Barking District Council is evidenced by the resolution that was passed, " That the Council place on record its appreciation of the eminent services rendered to the district by Dr. Ewart during the eleven years that he held the office of Medical Officer of Health, etc., and that the Clerk be directed to convey to Mrs. Ewart the deep sympathy and condolences of the Council on his decease." At the meeting the Chairman of the Public Health Committee expressed the deep regret of that Committee at the untimely death of Dr. Ewart. Many members will remember his paper given at a recent meeting of the M.O.H. Society, when convincing evidence of Ewart's wonderful assiduity was forthcoming in the wealth of information and figures which he produced. We do not know yet whether it will be possible to produce this paper as the author was at work upon its final edition for the press at the time of his death.