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
St Giles (Camden) 1870
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Giles District]
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heated at a sufficient temperature, without loss of fuel and time, sulphur or
carbolic acid is introduced into the oven; the fumes of which complete the
disinfection. The plan upon which this oven is constructed, appears to me
to fulfil most of the conditions of a good disinfecting chamber. Some
improvements have been made in it since its erection which have increased its
efficiency. This chamber had not come into operation when the year 1870
had closed ; I am not therefore, now, in a condition to report upon it as a
part of the work of that year; but I may add, that it has been in constant
daily use since its erection, and that it proved a most valuable disinfecting
agent during the epidemic of small pox.
TABLE XIII.
House Improvements in St. Giles District effected under the Superintendence of the Sanitary Inspectors between Lady-day, 1870, and Lady-day, 1871.
| Inspector Webb. | Inspector Dixon. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of houses improved | 861 | 1015 | |
| Improvements in Drainage. | Drains constructed or repaired | 354 | 361 |
| Traps fixed | 215 | 519 | |
| Cesspools abolished | 14 | 24 | |
| Stables drained and horse-pools abolished | 12 | 4 | |
| In Water Closets. | Pan, trap, and water provided | 67 | 62 |
| Water and apparatus only provided | 139 | 281 | |
| Cleansed or repaired | 457 | 473 | |
| Newly constructed or re-built | 7 | 21 | |
| In Dust Bins. | Newly constructed | 5 | 15 |
| Repaired or covered | 69 | 131 | |
| Paving. | Re-laid or repaired | 97 | 371 |
| In General Water Supply. | Receptacles provided | 12 | 26 |
| Receptacles repaired | 35 | 71 | |
| In Cleanliness and Repair. | Cleansed and lime-whited | 735 | 903 |
| Various accumulations removed from cellars, &c. | 63 | 45 | |
| In Ventilation, &c. | Ventilation improved | 73 | 15 |
| Overcrowding reduced | 57 | 18 | |
| Kitchens disused, or made legally habitable | 65 | 36 | |
| Proceedings taken. | First notices | 326 | 561 |
| Second notices, letters, &c. | 39 | 29 | |
| Summoned and Fined | 1 | 2 | |
| Reported to Police or District Surveyor | 1 | 0 | |
| Total number of Improvements | 2476 | 3376 | |
| Total number of Visits during the year | 6692 | 7825 | |
Rag and Bone Shops. 91. In consequence of a coroner's jury having
found that a death was accelerated by the foul smells arising from a rag
shop adjoining the house where the death occurred, I made an inspection of
all the rag and bone shops in the neighbourhood, and subsequently reported
to your Board as to their condition, and suggested the formation of certain
rules for their better regulation.
Your Board, after having received a deputation from persons interested
in the trade, and given your consideration to the subject, passed the
following rules, which have been since printed and circulated:
1st. That, whenever practicable, persons be prohibited from warehousing
rags in cellars.