London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Acton 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]

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69
SECTION VII.
Annual Report of the Chief Sanitary
Inspector for the Year 1904.
To Dr. G. A. Garry Simpson, Medical Officer of Health.
Sir,—I herewith present my fifth annual statement,
showing the particulars of the action taken in the
suppression of nuisances, &c., and various improvements
effected by this department during the year 1904.
The amount of sanitary work which has been done
through the medium of this department will be seen from
the tables which I have compiled.
The complaints received at the Health Department
are of a very varied character, and are often amusing.
For example:—A woman called at the office to ask me
to have a mangy dog destroyed belonging to a neighbour,
as it had given the disease to seven children living in an
adjoining house. Another individual requested a letter
from me approving of his action in moving out of a
house before I had inspected it on account of the damp
condition of the same. I found upon my visit that a
water pipe had burst, saturating the ceiling. He informed
me that he did not know it was necessary in such a case
to turn off the water at the stopcock.
One thing I have particularly noticed since I have
been in Acton, and that is the absence of bass brooms in
the houses of the industrial classes. Without hesitation,
I can say that in 90 percent, of the houses such an
article would not be found, and, in calling attention to the
dirty state of the yards, &c., their excuse invariably is
that they have no broom. One of the charities in Acton
would be conferring a great benefit to the cause of
sanitation by distributing good bass brooms amongst the
poorer classes.