London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St Pancras 1918
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1918
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The school children included in the above table have in the main been brought,
to the cleansing station from the Public Elementary Schools by officials of the
London County Council as the Education Authority under the powers conferred
upon them by their General Powers Act, 1901, Sec. 36, and the
Children Act, 1908, Sec. 122. A sum of one sbill ng per bath is paid by
the County Council to the Borough Council, according to an agreement
between the two Authorities, and 4422 baths were paid for on this scale during
the year.
14 verminous persons from common lodging houses outside the borough
were paid for by the London Co mty Council at the rate of Is. per attendance,
PUBLIC MORTUARIES AND CORONER'S COURT.
Number of bodies deposited in the General Mortuary during 1918 357
„ „ Infectious ,, ,, 5
Total 362
Inquests held durino 1918—
| In the Coroner's Court—General Cases | 298 |
| „ „ Poor Law ,, | 33 |
| Elsewhere in St. Pancras | 42 |
| Total | 373 |
BACTERIOLO G1ICAL EX AMI NATIONS.
The following work has been done by the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Chelsea Gardens, S.W.. at the expense of the borough in respect of St. Pancras persons:—
| Total. | Positive. | Negative. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examinations of swabs for B. diphtheriae . . | 188 | 61 | 127 |
| „ sputum for B. tuberculosis | 271 | 54 | 217 |
| „ blood for Widal reaction (typhoid) | 4 | 2 | 2 |
THE STAFF.
At the beginning of 1918 the working staff of the department was
deplete I by the absence of 4 male sanitary inspectors (Messrs. Lonnon, James,
Adkins and Thompson) and 3 clerks (Messrs. Spokes, Mullis and Cove) serving
with H. M. Forces, and through one other vacancy amongst the -unitary
inspectors caused by death in 1914 not having Veen filled. Mr. Landen,
sanitary inspector, was also away owing to illness from February 9th, 1918,
onwards.
Mr. James, sanitary inspector, returned to civil life and recommenced his
duties on June 17th, 1918.