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
Hackney 1886
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1886
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number of requests for the removal of dust was 1,306, which, as
many people will not have their dust removed except when
they write, is by no means large. In 1885-6 the number was
1,238 against 1,306 in 1886-7.
Nuisances Abated. — The number of nuisances abated during
the year was very large, viz., 9,047 ; but was less thau in some
of the preceding years, partly in consequence of the number of
small houses visited having been fewer than usual; partly in consequence
of the long continued cold weather in winter and
spring, which prevented the necessary works being carried out
at that time; and partly from the number of better class houses
inspected to ascertain the state of their drainage arrangements,
which take up comparatively much more time than inspections
of small property. The number of nuisances from defective
drainage was 3,059, being 200 less than in 1885, but a large
proportion of the deficiency arose from there having been only
186 instances of choked closet pans against 249 in 1885. This
is a satisfactory return, as it shows that the poorer classes are
getting more careful as regards the water-closets than they used
to be some years ago, when they so frequently blocked them up the
pans by throwing all kinds of rubbish into them. The number
of premises in which bell-traps were found and yard-gullies
substituted still remains large, viz., 1,127 against 1,226 in
1885 ; whilst the number of sink waste-pipes disconnected from
the drains remains nearly the same, having been 604 against
629 ; and 271 stack-pipes disconnected against 241 in 1885.
The nuisances from defective paving of yards numbered 815, of
broken dust-bins 617, and of dirty houses cleansed 1,678, which,
with 10 houses where defective ventilation was improved, make
a total of 3,120, which, with 3,059 instances of improved
means of drainage, make 6,179 nuisances abated in these
houses. The number of water-closets to which a supply of
water was newly provided was less than in former years, viz.,
205, against 356 in 1885 ; and the same remark applies to