London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
This page requires JavaScript
Pool No. 1 is 100' x 40' with a depth of 6' 6" to 3'. Filtration is
by a rapid sand bed system and the 130,000 gallons of water are turned
over every five hours. The water is sterilised by break-point
chlorination.
Pool No. 2 is 100' x 40' with a depth of 6' 6" to 3'. Filtration is
by a rapid sand bed system and the 125,000 gallons of water are turned
over every eight hours. The water is sterilised by break-point
chlorination.
The Teaching Pool is 26' x 18' with a depth of 2'3" to 2'9".
Filtration is by a Diatomateous Earth filtration plant and the 6,500
gallons of water are turned over in 1½ hours. The water is sterilised by
marginal chlorination.
All the Pools are heated to an average temperature of 72oF., and
the water supply is from the Metropolitan Water Board's mains.
Inspection of the District
The following is a summary of the complaints received and the visits made during the year 1959 :—
| General disrepair and insanitary conditions | 206 |
| Dampness | 89 |
| Overcrowding | 31 |
| Defective drainage systems | 31 |
| Blocked drainage systems | 115 |
| Defective drainage fittings | 20 |
| Defective W.C. pans and/or flushing apparatus | 22 |
| Defective service water pipes | 11 |
| Absence of or defective dustbins | 40 |
| Accumulations of refuse, etc | 39 |
| Rats and mice | 278 |
| Insect pests, etc | 269 |
| Smoke nuisances | 49 |
| Unsound food | 104 |
| Miscellaneous | 157 |
| 1,461 | |
| Inquiries re cases of infectious disease | 248 |
| Visits re disinfection | 69 |
| Miscellaneous | 103 |
| Dwelling houses (Housing Act) | 175 |
| Dwelling houses (Public Health Act) | 1,298 |
| Rent Act, 1957 | 178 |
| House Purchase and Housing Act 1959 | 65 |
| Overcrowding | 59 |
| Underground rooms | 30 |
| Houses let in lodgings | 6 |
| Miscellaneous | 324 |