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A difficult problem is caused by a number of old people chiefly women living
alone usually in a single room. Many of these old people have no one to look
after them; gradually becoming feebler they are eventually unable to look after
themselves or their homes properly and yet they are most unwilling to enter the
Poor Law Institutions. At present persuasion is used, but the condition often
persists for a considerable time; it is difficult to suggest any solution of the
problem other than the granting of compulsory powers of removal to a suitable
institution.
Poisoning by Coal Gas.
During the year information was received respecting deaths due to poisoning
by carbon monoxide present in gas supplied for domestic purposes.
In one case two deaths occurred, a man aged 89 and a woman aged 62.
The deceased persons slept in adjoining rooms; there was an escape of gas from
the upper part of the stem of a 3-light pendant hanging from the ceiling of the
room occupied by one of the deceased persons. There were folding doors between
this room and the adjoining room under which the gas penetrated to the second
room with fatal results to the occupant. The defective pendant was probably
about ten or twelve years old and the defect extended over eighteen inches in, the
brazed seam of the stem. The amount of carbon monoxide present in the gas
at the time of the accident was stated by the Gas, Light & Coke Company to
be 15.87 per cent.
During the year a communication was received from the Bethnal Green
Borough Council asking the Holborn Council to support a resolution, requesting
the Prime Minister to appoint a Committee to investigate the composition of gas
supplied by gas undertakers, and report as to whether it is practicable to substantially
reduce the amount of carbon monoxide therein, and to report as to
tests, which should be made by gas undertakings from time to time, to ascertain
the conditions of gas mains, consumers' fittings and other gas apparatus.
In connection with this communication I reported to the Public Health
Committee that, in view of the recent cases of gas poisoning and increasing
casualties from the use of geyser water-heaters, I had been in communication
with the Metropolitan gas companies and various commercial firms who make and
fix gas heaters, cooking stoves and geysers in the Borough, to ascertain the
precautions taken, and required, in connection with the fixing of such appliances,
also the requirements as to the size of outlets to the external air. I suggested that
the attention of the Central Government should be directed to the need for the
adoption of scientific principles when fixing gas-heating and cooking appliances
especially in connection with the ventilation of rooms and the adequate removal
of the products of combustion by suitable large outlets to the external air or
otherwise. Representations were accordingly sent to the Prime Minister, Minister
of Health and the President of the Board of Trade.
Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Acts, 1920 and 1923.
On the application of tenants two certificates were issued under the above
Acts that the houses complained of were not in all respects reasonably fit for
human habitation or were otherwise not in a reasonable state of repair.
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