London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Finsbury 1902

Report on the public health of 1902

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147
that out of these 64 closures, 8 occur in the northern division,
none occur in the residential district of Clerkenwell, and 56
occur in that third of the Borough adjoining the boundary of the
City of London. No evidence could be more complete of the
change which is proceeding year by year in the character of the
Borough than these facts respecting house closure. The total
record for 1902 is as follows :—
Houses Closed
in 1902.
Persons Dishoused
in 1902.
(Approximate Number).
Five Insanitary Areas (L.C.C.) 62 350
Insanitary Closures 14 60
Closures for Commercial reasons 64 429
Totals 140 839
It will be understood that the St. John Street closures,
included in the "Commercial" closures in the above Table, are
owing to the Street Improvement Scheme of the London County
Council.
III.—THE MAINTENANCE OF SANITATION
IN HOUSE PROPERTY.
The sanitary supervision of existing houses is one of the
most important parts of the housing question in Finsbury. It
cannot be doubted that the problem of housing in London is
what it is to-day very largely indeed because in the past strict
sanitary supervision of existing houses has been neglected.
This sanitary supervision, to be effective, must be two-fold in
its application, namely, it must deal with house structure and
sanitary maintenance (houses let in lodgings, house to house
inspection, etc.) and with overcrowding of persons. During 1902