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
Whitechapel 1856
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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carried on the pernicious nuisance of re-burning animal charcoal, used for sugar
refining, has discontinued the process. If it be necessary for the commercial prosperity
of the country that noxious and offensive trades be continued, they should be
established at considerable distance from all large towns. The facilities of the
transit of goods by railways are now so great, that there can be no nesessily for such
businesses being permitted in the crowded districts of the metropolis.
In France, all known precautions are taken before factories which are likely to
affect the public health are established. In the interior of the large French towns,
unhealthy trades, such as slaughter houses, bone boilers, chemical works, &c., are not
allowed to be carried on.
968 complaints were entered in the general complaint book, from the 29th
September to the 27th December, all of which have been attended to by your
Inspectors.
| Complaints relating to Non-Removal ot' Dust, want of Dust Bins, Stopped Gullies, &c. | Cesspools and other Nuisances of a like nature Removed by Improved Drainage. | Works in progress in reference to Improved Drainage. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 443 | 68 | 67 | 578 |
Number of notices Served since last report 124
Number of summonses taken out for the Removal of Nuisances 9
Number of orders made by Magistrates 5
Courts (private) repaved 4
viz:—Marlborough-court, Hobb's-court, John-place, and Crown-court, Quaker-street.
Number of houses systematically visited in rotation, and particulars obtained as
to cleanliness, repair, removal of dust, dust bins, State of the yards, cellars, water
supply, privies, drains, number of rooms in each house, number of separate holdings,
and the number of inmates in each room:—
In Artillery Registration District 152
Spitalfields ditto 40
Whitechapel, North 18
200
| Complaints. | Cesspools, &c., removed. | Works in progress. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 313 | 55 | 22 | 390 |
Number of noticcs served since last report 67
Houses visited.—
In Aldgate Registration District 134
Goodman's Fields ditto 114
Whitechapel Church ditto 51
299
It is gratifying to me to be able to report that your Inspectors, in the course of
their house-to-house visitations, have been courteously received. Every body seems
to feel that the systematic house-to-house visitation is a public work, undertaken for
the public good, and that important results may be obtained from the enquiries of