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
Lewisham 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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| Nuisance | West | North | South | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dampness remedied | 48 | 27 | 7 | 82 |
| Wall and ceiling plaster repaired | 246 | 105 | 38 | 389 |
| Walls and ceilings cleansed | - | - | - | - |
| Brickwork repaired | 19 | 9 | 4 | 32 |
| Chimneys repaired | 6 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| Firegrates repaired or renewed | 24 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| Floors repaired or renewed | 43 | 21 | 5 | 69 |
| Window frames and reveals renewed or repaired | 36 | 4 | 4 | 44 |
| Sashcords renewed | 18 | 8 | 3 | 29 |
| Dry rot remedied | 1 | 1 | - | 2 |
| Yards and areas paved | 13 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| Dustbins provided | 5 | 1 | - | 6 |
| Accumulations of refuse cleared | - | - | - | - |
| Doors and doorframes repaired or renewed | 36 | 9 | 4 | 49 |
| Other nuisances remedied | 122 | 42 | 26 | 190 |
| TOTALS | 729 | 283 | 121 | 1133 |
Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts
In 5 instances certificates were issued to tenants under the above
Acts in respect of premises which were not in a reasonable state of
repair.
Applications were also received from owners for the rescission of
certificates previously issued and in 8 cases the necessary statements
were issued as the premises concerned had been made fit.
Water certificates
Under the provisions of section 95 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936 an occupied house without a proper and sufficient water
supply is a nuisance and if a dwelling-house, is unfit for human habitation.
Further, it is not lawful to occupy a house as a dwelling-house, subject
to certain provisos, until the sanitary authority has certified that it has
a proper and sufficient supply of water.
Certificates were issued in respect of 102 premises certifying that
under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, a proper
and sufficient supply of water had been provided.
Factories
Section 7 of the Factories Act, 1937, requiring the provision of
sufficient and suitable sanitary conveniences is enforced by the council
in all factories, whether mechanical power is used in the factory or not.
The provisions of sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 relating to cleanliness,
overcrowding, the maintenance of a reasonable temperature, the
securing of adequate ventilation of workrooms and the furnishing of
adequate means for draining floors where wet processes are carried on,