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
Wembley 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wembley]
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The number of cases of overcrowding known to the Health Department has shown a steady decrease during the past nine years, as the following figures indicate.
| Year. | Number of Cases of overcrowding on Register. | Total Number of Cases of overcrowding relieved during the year. | Number of Cases of overcrowding relieved during the year by removal to unknown addresses. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 602 | 307 | 22 |
| 1949 | 558 | 268 | 86 |
| 1950 | 516 | 133 | 6 |
| 1951 | 517 | 52 | 9 |
| 1952 | 456 | 102 | 2 |
| 1953 | 424 | 52 | 3 |
| 1954 | 303 | 133 | 95 |
| 1955 | 204 | 108 | 102 |
| 1956 | 169 | 47 | 42 |
Household Pests.
The number of bug-infested houses has shown a marked decrease
in recent years and only 19 cases were recorded during 1956. With
the advent of D.D.T. and B.H.C. which with their derivatives remain
toxic to insects for long peri0ds after their application, the coniroi
of insects has become a much easier problem. Fleas which in years
past were quite a common pest are now very rarely encountered
Despite this great decrease in the prevalence of insects parasitic tc
man the Department receives many enquiries with respect to othei
pests as to their identification and control. In most cases the Department
is able to indentify the species but in cases of doubt the
Entymologists at the Natural History Museum at South Kensington
have readily given their advice. The commonest household pest;
which form the subject of enquiries nowadays are carpet beetles, silvei
fish, ants, furniture beetles and scavanger beetles. It is also quite
common to find that insects normally found in gardens and which do
no real harm indoors have invaded the house and given cause for
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