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 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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106
HOUSE-TO-HOUSE INSPECTION.
During the year house-to-house inspection was made of
612 dwellings, distributed in the following roads and streets:—
Avenue Road, Avenue Square, Bradford Road, Engate Street,
Fullers Place, Hindsley Place, John's Place, Knighton Park
Road, Mallet Road (part), Mercy Terrace, Molesworth Street,
Rennell Street, Rhyme Road, Romer Place, Railway Terrace
and Sandhurst Road (part).
The following is a summary of the principal nuisances found and shows the need for systematic inspection:—
| Defective drains | 93 |
| Vent shafts and soil pipes defective | 87 |
| Water closets and apparatus defective | 115 |
| Insufficient water supply to water closets | 65 |
| Defective yard traps, sink wastes, gullies, &c. | 209 |
| Dirty premises | 227 |
| Overcrowding | 8 |
| Drinking water cisterns defective | 145 |
| Defective roofs | 88 |
| Damp premises | 56 |
| Insufficient floor ventilation | 8 |
| Defective yard pavings | 113 |
| Offensive accumulations | 3 |
| Animals so kept as to cause a nuisance | 2 |
| Other minor nuisances (ashbins, &c.) | 271 |
| Total | 1,490 |
The whole of the above-mentioned defects were remedied
on the service of notices, and no summary proceedings were
necessary.
Only eight cases of overcrowding were discovered.