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
Stepney 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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43.
Typhus.
One person arriving in this country from a typhus
infected area was kept under observation.
Authentication of International Certificates of
Vaocination and Inoculation.
A person proceeding abroad is required in certain
countries to produce a certificate of recent successful
vaccination and inoculation. The medical signatures of
271 such certificates were authenticated by me during the
year.
Disinfection.
296 premises were disinfected because of infectious
disease, of which 14 were for pulmonary tuberculosis.
130,084 articles of clothing and bedding were steam
disinfected, including 117,783 articles for export, for
which 185 certificates were issued.
Formaldehyde disinfection of 67,327 articles for
export also took place during the year, for which 78
certificates were issued.
Charges for the export disinfecting service amounted
to £877.
Disinfe station (bed bugs and other insect pests).
The following is a summary of the work 'carried out by the specialist inspectors:
| General inspections for vermin | 1,625 (including 58 evening visits) |
| No. of premises found verminous | 323 |
| No. of re-visits | 537 |
| No, of miscellaneous visits | 1,464 |
| No, of premises sprayed | 772 (164 Borough Council property) |
| No, of rooms sprayed | 1,709 (408 do. ) |
+Including 645 rooms dealt with at the request of
Sanitary Inspectors.
As a precautionary measure the furniture and effects
of all families transferred to Borough Council dwellings
are treated, prior to removal, with hydrogen cyanide at
the Council's Disinfestation Station, 42 Narrow Street.