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
Heston and Isleworth 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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RIVERS AND STREAMS - No complaint of pollution was made to the Health Department
during 1957.
CLOSET ACCOMMODATION - The closet accommodation of the Borough consists almost
wholly of water closets connected to the sewers. A few water closets drain to cesspools,
and several houses on the outskirts of the Borough have pail or chemical
closets. The following works were carried out during the year:-
Water closets constructed or rebuilt 5
Water closets provided in substitution for dry receptacles, etc. 3
Water closets where walls cleansed 40
Water closets fitted with new flushing apparatus 29
New pans or pedestals provided 30
Water closets repaired or improved 64
Water closets blockages unstopped 7
Other closets provided or repaired 3
Urinals constructed, rebuilt or repaired 11
Chemical closets abolished 4
PUBLIC CLEANSING - The cleansing of streets and collection and disposal of refuse
are carried out under the control of the Borough Engineer. Refuse is disposed of
by controlled tipping and the collection of house refuse is carried out weekly.
Through the action of the Health Department 29 new dustbins were provided during the
year.
Salvage continues to be collected at the same time as refuse and is segregated before sale. The collection of kitchen waste was discontinued in January, 1954. The returns for the past five years are as follows:-
| 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper (tons) | 986 | 1,000 | 897 | 1,082 | 994 |
| Scrap metal (tons) | 84 | 90 | 38 | 73 | 26 |
| Textiles (tons) | 41 | 27 | 34 | 13 | 10 |
| Bottles, jars (tons) | 11 | 17 | 4 | 2 | - |
| Cullet (tons) | - | 3 | - | - | - |
| Kitchen Waste (tons) | 822 | 9 | - | - | - |
| Total income | £11,440 | £8, 705 | £8,490 | £9,414 | £8,102 |
Throughout the Borough litter is to be found in our streets, parks and open
spaces and ranges from discarded bus tickets to 'any old iron'. Whilst it has to
be admitted that there may be difficulties in disposing of garden refuse and items
that cannot be burned easily much of the unsightliness arising from litter is due to
carelessness and lack of consideration. The Health Department can act only if the
deposits are 'prejudicial to health or a nuisance' as defined in the Public Health
Acts and this is seldom the case.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE BOROUGH - In addition to the work recorded in other
paragraphs of this Report, the Public Health Inspectors continued their general duties
of investigating complaints, abating nuisances and dealing with contraventions of the
Public Health Act.
Not all complaints brought to the Health Department deal with matters on which
the Department is empowered to take action, and in such cases complainants are advised
as far as is known, how and where the matter may receive attention. Some particulars
of the work done are shown below -
Inspections following complaint 1,123
Number of premises at which nuisance, etc were located 840
Number of premises where defects were remedied
(a) by owners or occupiers 867
(b) by Council in default 14
(c) public sewers repaired by Council 12
Informal notices issued 351
Written reminders issued 612
Statutory notices served 27
Total number of inspections and re-inspections 20,368
Inspections of piggeries 42
Inspections of stables 14
Inspections of urinals 201
Sinks provided or repaired 10
Roofs repaired 165
Gutters repaired or renewed 105
Brickwork, sills, etc , repaired or renewed 258
Premises provided with damp-proof courses 3
Sites covered with impervious material 1
Yards and forecourts paved or drained 13
External painting 24
Rooms stripped, cleansed and redecorated 389
14