[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow.

  • Glasgow (Scotland)
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/354 (page 3)
    O.St.J., J.P., STUART IAN ALEXANDER LAIDLAW, B.L., B.Sc., Ph.D., M.D., D.P.H., D.P.A., F.R.F.P.S.(G.) Dr. Stuart Laidlaw, Medical Officer of Health of the City of Glasgow, died suddenly on 24th June, 1955, at the early age of 52 years after holding office for only nine years. Although born in Glasgow he received his early education at the City of London School, but returned to Glasgow for his medical training. Before joining the Department in 1929, in which year he obtained the Diploma in Public Health, he had been Senior Assistant to the Professor of Public Health at Glasgow University. In 1930 he was appointed a Clinical Officer and in this capacity conducted one of his first investigations into the epidemiology of phthisis in young adults. In 1934 he was made a Divisional Medical Officer and in 1939 Senior Assistant Medical Officer of Health in charge of the Tuberculosis Section. Tuberculosis was to remain one of his abiding interests, and in the following years he attacked many problems associated with this disease. Later he grasped eagerly the chance to develop B.C.G. vaccination as a means of prevention. In 1950 smallpox in the City demanded his attention, and the successful limitation of the outbreak was due to his energetic direction of the preventive services. He also devoted much consideration to the agrd and chronic sick and one of his last tasks was an investigation into Glasgow’s Common Lodging-houses and the people living in them. During three years he visited every lodging-house in the City at all times of the day, and discussed with the inmates their lives, their problems and their future. Only a few days before he died he was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy for his thesis based on this wide enquiry. Dr. Laidlaw derived much satisfaction from securing additional qualifications. He regarded the effort required as a challenge to his power of application, which was phenomenal. He had an enquiring mind and his contributions to professional and lay journals ranged widely over public health and welfare. His association with the press was very happy, for he had a flair for succinct comment on matters of public interest.