Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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kitchen waste bins. 5 visits were also paid to both this Council's
and the London County Council's blocks of flats where dustchutes are
used. 251 dustchutes with 881 openings were sprayed. One private
block containing 9 chutes was also included in this treatment. The
caretakers of this Council's flats were also provided with sprayers,
insecticide and powder, for use in connection with the containers at the
base of the dustchutes, particularly after these had been cleaned out, and
for the sites of the bins used for the storage of kitchen waste. In addition
treatment by spraying was carried out in 15 houses by staff from the
disinfecting station following complaints from the householders
concerned. In a number of cases a supply of insecticide containing
5 per cent DDT was also left with the householders for use in their own
sprayers.
Static water tanks and sections of the rivers where the water tends
to become stagnant were sprayed with 5 percent DDT in kerosene base,
a total of 80 gallons being used, as an anti-mosquito precaution on 5
occasions.
Public Mortuary and Coroner's Court
The premises are situated in Ladywell Road and comprise a court
room, witness room, coroner's office, caretaker's apartments and
mortuary.
The number of bodies taken to the mortuary during the year was
578, of which 256 were received from institutions, 578 postmortem
examinations were made and inquests were held in 149 cases.
Table 16
Month | Bo dies received from Institutions | Others | Post-mortem examinations | Inquests | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lewisham residents | Others | ||||
January | 21 | 25 | 18 | 14 | |
February | 20 | 24 | 30 | 14 | 7 |
March | 24 | 19 | 31 | 12 | 8 |
April | 20 | 32 | 30 | 22 | 11 |
May | 17 | 28 | 32 | 13 | 9 |
June | 16 | 22 | 23 | 15 | 3 |
July | 18 | 17 | 14 | 21 | 9 |
August | 18 | 27 | 27 | 18 | 9 |
September | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 13 |
October | 27 | 21 | 29 | 19 | 11 |
November | 24 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 9 |
December | 34 | 66 | 48 | 52 | 46 |
TOTALS | 2S6 | 322 | 332 | 246 | 149 |
Rodent control
A section, consisting from May to September of a foreman and
three operatives and from October to April of the foreman and seven
operatives, is maintained for the purpose of repressing rat infestation,
and this section is supervised by the senior public health inspector.