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

Fulham 1886

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham]

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112
It would materially assist and lessen the cost of cleansing the
streets if a proper supply of sweeping and scraping machines were
provided, there should be at least four of each, whereas the Yestry
only possess two sweeping machines and no scrapers.
The scraping machines would also be very useful in time of
snow. They cost £21 each.
Re Dusting.
On the 29th of June I made a report to the Cartage Committee
on this question, showing that the then rate of clearing was
an average of 255 loads a week, that 239 loads cleared 1,806
houses, or at 9,658 inhabited houses in the parish, it would take
over 31 days to clear the parish.
I further marked out the parish into 12 districts, and the
Yestry having put on two more carts, a great improvement
in the dusting took place, the district being frequently been
cleared within the fortnight.
According to the report of the Board of Works during 1885-6,
11,364 loads of dust were removed, by 3,290 horses one day
each, or over 3½ loads per horse per day. During 1886-7, 3,076
horses one day each removed 11,031 loads of dust, or an average of
3 3-5ths loads per horse per day.
The cost of horses for dusting at 10s. a day per horse will
equal £1,538, and the cost of carting each load will equal 2s. 9½d.
The wages paid to the men for collecting have been Is. 6d. a load.
The carts of the Yestry have for some long time past been tipping
their dust on the Bishop's Meadow. In March last the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners complained that the view from the
Bishops Garden was being destroyed, and threatened the Yestry
with an injunction to restrain them from shooting more dust on
the meadows. The Vestry have therefore entered into an arrangement
to pay £50 per quarter for a tip on the Ranelagh estate.
The Bishop s Meadow has been raised in parts as much as 4'0 in.
above the original highest part, and 2*0. in higher than the height
required by Thames River Prevention of Floods Act.
One of the first things that struck me in Fulham was what I
considered the loss arising from the method of dealing with the
dust. I had always been under the impression that dust was worth
a certain amount of sorting, inasmuch as ashes, breeze, old iron,

Table: HOUSE DRAINAGE.During the year 181 connections to the sewers of the Metropolitan Board and the Vestry have been made as set forth in the following:—

HOUSE DRAINAGE.

During the year 181 connections to the sewers of the Metropolitan Board and the Vestry have been made as set forth in the following:—

No. of houseLocality.No. of connections.
3 housesArmadale Road2
10 „Rosaline Road5
2 „Langford Road1
8 „Linver Road8
2 „Touruay Road2
1 „Humbolt Road1
6 „Hugon Road3
10 „Mooltan Street10
CellarBishops and Radipole Roads1
2 housesBrecon Road2
1 „Cassingley Road1
3 „St. Andrew's Road2
Baths and WashhousesWalham Green1
2 housesTournay Road2
6 „Halford Road4
1 „Lodge Avenue1
1 „North End Road1
4„Tilton Street2
1 „Halford Road1
4 „Humbolt Road2
2 „Hartismere Road2
2 „Linver Road2
4 „Bif-hops Road3
4 „Hurlingham Road4
4 „Hartismere Road2
2 „Lintaine Grove2
1 „Ewald Road1
4 „Dawes Road1
2 „St. Andrew's Road2
1 „Lurgan Avenue1
4 „Claybrooke Road2
2 „Dawes Road1
4 „Shorrolds Road2
4 „Perham Road2
1 „Ewald Road1
2 „Purcell Street1
10 „Rosaline Road5
2 „Archell Road1
8 „Rosedale Terrace, Fulham Rd.4
1 „Cortayne Road1
5 „Brecon Road5
3 „Langford Road2
5 „Rosaline Road3
1 „Crefeld Road1
3 „St. Andrew's Road3
3 „Gilstead Road3
1 „Mooltan Street1