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

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Kensington 1902

Annual report on the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the Royal Borough of Kensington for the year1902

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59
Disinfection, Cleansing, etc.
Number of infected rooms 361
Number of rooms disinfected by the Council's Officer 135
„ „ the occupier; re-papered, whitewashed, etc. 24
Number of rooms, in occupation, not disinfected 156
Number of cases in which disinfection was refused 46
The occupation of the sufferers, so far as could be ascertained, was as follows :—
Males. No. of Cases.
Artizan 52
Labourer 27
Cabman, Carman 19
Hawker 10
Porter 6
Potman 5
Stableman 4
Soldier 5
Scavenger 4
Postman 3
Shopman 6
Clerk 10
Baker, Domestic Servant, Musician, Engineer (two each) 8
Artist, Butcher, Canvasser, Farmer, Laundryman, Packer, Sailor, Soda
Water Bottler, Superintendent of a Boys' Home, Theatre Attendant,
Merchant and Wine Importer (one each) 12
Children 4
Unknown 78
253
Females (of whom 84 were married).
Laundress 27
Domestic Servant 20
Charwoman 7
Dressmaker, Tailoress 4
Hawker 2
Hospital Nurse, Shop Assistant (one each) 2
Children 5
No occupation, or occupation unknown 74
141
Grand Total 394
The proportion of deaths from phthisis in the Borough Infirmary to total deaths was large,
viz., 82 out of 226 : males 49, and females 33. Seventy of the deaths were of North Kensington
persons, 12 of South Kensington persons. These deaths were equal to 15.5 per cent. of all the
deaths in the Infirmary, and to 363 per cent. of all the deaths in the borough from this cause.
The notified cases were 162 : males 101, females 61; 135 of North Kensington persons, and 27 of
South Kensington persons, or 65.6 per cent. of the notifications in the borough as a whole.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND THE MILK SUPPLY.
In the seventh report, 1901, reference was made to proposals contained in a circular letter
from the London County Council suggesting the need of legislation for the protection of the public
health in connection with the milk supply of the Metropolis. The report having been referred to
the Public Health Committee, that body expressed approval of the proposed legislation, and
concurred in the view that the matter being one of Metropolitan concern, the powers proposed to
be acquired could be most effectively exercised by the County Council, acting for the whole of London.
The report of the Committee, having been adopted, was communicated to the County Council, who
in their General Powers Bill in the Session of 1902 (Part viii.) introduced clauses (43 to 63) for
giving effect to the views of their Public Health Committee.* Part ix. (clauses 64 to 66) dealt
with measures for preventing the spread of infectious disease through the agency of Ice Creams—a
subject also dealt with in the reports of the Public Health Committee of the County Council,
embodied in the aforementioned communication. In regard to this matter also, the Public Health
Committee of the Borough Council concurred with the view that legislation on the lines indicated
was desirable, and that it was one that should be dealt with by the Council as local Sanitary
Authority, as indeed the County Council had suggested. The 66th clause of the Bill proposed to
enable the County Council to act in execution of this part, should the local Sanitary Authority be
in default, as if the omission to institute proceedings were a default within the meaning of section
100 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
* The details of Part viii. were set out in my report for 1901, pp. 44-47.