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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Floors, walls and ceilings, repaired or renewed 506
Rooms in which ventilation provided or improved 4
Rooms in which lighting provided or improved 35
Windows repaired or renewed 288
Doors and other woodwork repaired or renewed 91
Staircases replaced or repaired 8
Lighting to staircase provided or improved 3
Handrails or balusters repaired or renewed 5
Grates provided or repaired 61
Instances where ventilation under floor provided or improved 3
Larders provided or repaired 6
Domestic cleansing enforced 1
Improper keeping of animals abated 1
Offensive accumulations removed 55
Other repairs carried out or nuisances abated 226
Visits re infectious diseases, etc. 212
Complaints continue to be received of nuisance caused by pigeons. The department
does what it can to assist and advise complainants, but it must be pointed out
that the Council has no power to catch or destroy pigeons on private property or to
spend money for such a purpose
EXCHANGE OF ARTICLES FOR RAGS etc. - Under the Public Health Act, 1936, it is
an offence for any person who collects or deals in rags etc., to sell or deliver,
whether gratuitously or not any article whatsoever to a child under the age of 14
years in exchange for rags etc The Police notify the Council of any such contraventions
coming to their notice
SMOKE ABATEMENT - The emission of smoke grit and ash from a factory chimney may
constitute a nuisance within the meaning of the Public Health Acts. During the year
the Public Health Inspectors made 152 smoke observations and paid many visits to
premises in regard to which complaints of smoke nuisance had been received.
The Council co-operates with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by measuring atmospheric pollution in the Borough. Two sets of apparatus are in use, one on the roof of the Health Department in Bath Road, Hounslow, and the other on the roof of Heath House London Road Isleworth The detailed monthly analyses are forwarded for record and study to the Central Department, but the main features are recorded below -
| Rainfall (inches) | Health Department | Heath House | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit (tons per sq mile) | Sulphur (Mgms So3 per day per 100 sq. cm. ) | Rainfall (inches) | Deposit (tons per sq. mile) | Sulphur (Mgms.So3 per day per 100 sq. cm.) | ||
| January | 1.50 | 9.04 | 1.50 | 1.42 | 9.52 | 1.05 |
| February | 2.84 | 8.62 | 1.28 | 2.68 | 7.91 | 1.14 |
| March | 0.95 | 8.04 | 0.85 | 0.95 | 8.44 | 0.74 |
| April | 0.20 | 11.74 | 0.58 | 0.24 | 13.20 | 0.66 |
| May | 0.95 | 6.81 | 0.52 | 0.99 | 8.21 | 0.54 |
| June | 0.71 | 9.75 | 0.72 | 0.59 | 10.34 | 0.84 |
| July | 3.70 | 7.05 | 0.61 | 3.51 | 7.97 | 0.69 |
| August | 3.51 | 9.34 | 0.68 | 3.63 | 10.88 | 0.77 |
| September | 2.44 | 7.94 | 0.59 | 2.29 | 8.41 | 0.70 |
| October | 3.27 | 11.53 | 0.68 | 3.27 | 12.80 | 1.51 |
| November | 0.87 | 11.29 | 2.21 | 0.95 | 14.53 | 2.69 |
| December | 1.58 | 13 38 | 2.39 | 1.65 | 14.83 | 2.43 |
| Average | 1.88 | 9.54 | 1.05 | 1.85 | 10.59 | 1.15 |
| Average 1952-1956 | 1.89 | 9.13 | 0.92 | 1.87 | 9.47 | 1.00 |
The following table and Figures 1 and II show 1957 in comparison with the
average for the previous five years
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