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
Southgate 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southgate]
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SANITARY INSPECTION OF AREA.
The various tables set out on the following pages detail the
work of sanitary inspection carried out within the Borough during
1938.
The total number of inspections decreased during 1938 from
30,780 to 28,927. This decrease is more than explained by
the absence of the special housing visits carried out during 1937,
in connection with the measurement of premises for the purpose of
obtaining the "permitted numbers" required by the Housing Act.
In other words, the total number of visits paid by the Sanitary
Inspectors and Disinfectors in the course of their normal routine
duties has actually increased during the past year. It may be well
to point out here that, with the rapid increase in Air Raid Precautions
duties, part of which has of necessity fallen upon the sanitary
staff, it is doubtful whether it will be possible to make this statement
in future years.
The total of informal notices served during the year shows a slight increase, while the total of statutory notices served is again exceedingly low.
| Inspections. | 1936. | 1937. | 1938. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing inspections and re-inspections | 5,323 | 3,862 | 3,750 |
| Slaughterhouse visits and inspections | 1,086 | 1,154 | 825 |
| Factories and workshops (including bakehouses) visits and inspections | 772 | 819 | 615 |
| Dairies, cowsheds, milkshops and other food | |||
| shops, visits and inspections | 2,977 | 3,378 | 2,894 |
| Various complaints, inspections and re-inspections | 1,476 | 994 | 1,139 |
| Dustbins, inspections and re-inspections | 2,076 | 1,901 | 2,125 |
| Infectious Disease, visits and re-visits | 4,080 | 3,436 | 4,019 |
| Other inspections (Rent Act—Rats and Mice Destruction Act—Ditches and Ponds—Accumulations—Non-notifiable Diseases, etc.—Drain inspections and tests—Smoke observations) | 10,379 | 15,236 | 13,560 |
| Total | 28,169 | 30,780 | 28,927 |
N.B.—The nett total of visits during 1937, excluding those
made for the special purpose referred to above, was 28,327.
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