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Work of the Public Health Department.
During the year 1915, 1,013 separate premises were reported on by
the staff, 362 of this number being with reference to cases of notifiable
infectious disease, and 270 in the course of house-to-house inspections
made in certain of the poorer streets of the Borough. No legal proceedings
were taken for breaches of the Public Health (London) Act.
During the year 504 inspections were made of factories and workshops.
Verminous School Children.—During the year 65 children attending
elementary schools in the Borough were reported as being found by the
school nurses to be in a verminous condition as regards their heads, their
bodies, or both heads and bodies. The corresponding number in 1914
was 266 children. The decrease in 1915 is the result of the great
depletion in the staff of school nurses, owing to the war. All the houses
of the verminous children reported were visited by the Woman Sanitary
Inspector.
Disinfection During the year 1915, 426 premises were disinfected
after cases of infectious or other disease, 76 of these being rooms which
had been occupied by tuberculous persons. In addition, 396 rooms were
disinfected for the presence of bugs and other vermin. At the disinfecting
station 4,708 separate articles of bedding or clothing were disinfected,
and 131 articles were destroyed in the incinerator.
Of the total 4,708 articles disinfected, 3,626 were blankets, clothing
and uniforms sent by the Military Authorities, viz., 1,661 from Duke of
York's headquarters, 49 from No. 2 General Military Hospital, and 1,916
from the B.A.M.C. (T.) Sanitary Company, Manor Street. No charge
was made for this work. Of the 3,626 articles disinfected, 2,068 were for
lice, 49 for scarlet fever, 60 for scabies, 835 for cerebro-spinal meningitis,
293 for measles, 69 for ringworm, 44 for tuberculosis, and 207 various.
Most of these articles of clothing were the belongings of soldiers who
were contacts, and not actual sufferers from any of the above diseases.
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.—Of the 400 samples taken for
analysis in 1915, 182 were milk, 175 being genuine, and 7 adulterated,
equivalent to 3.8 per cent. of the total milks examined, as against 6 per
cent. in 1914. Of the 7 adulterated samples, proceedings were taken and
convictions obtained in 3 cases. In 2 cases the vendors were protected
by warranties and no proceedings were taken. In 2 cases the amounts
of adulteration were considered insufficient to warrant proceedings. Of
butter 181 samples were taken, 170 being genuine and 11 adulterated.
Proceedings were taken and convictions obtained in 2 cases. In 6 cases
the samples were not taken under the Act, and in the remaining 3 cases
(excessive water in small amounts) no proceedings were taken. Samples
of other foods taken were found genuine, with the exception of 5 samples
of cocoa, containing excessive husk. The vendors of these samples were
cautioned.
Staff.—Mr. F. C. Cook, sanitary inspector, and Mr. A. B. J. Hayden,
clerk, joined the Sanitary Company, R.A.M.C. (T.), early in August. Mr.
Cook's duties have been performed by the sanitary inspectors (2 men, 1
woman) remaining in the Council's service. Mr. Hayden's duties as clerk
were performed by Miss Ingleson, who was specially engaged for the
work.