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

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Woolwich 1919

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich

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TABLE No. 14.

No. ofInspections of Shops and Market re Pood (estimated)450
Inspections of Premises where food is prepared118
Inspections of Milkshops76
Inspections of Bakehouses92
Inspections of Cowhouses and Slaughterhouses, &c.125
Inspections of Outworkers' Premises98
Inspections of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces502
Inspections of Homes, re Verminous Cases416
Inspections of Houses on Defective Combined Drains88
Inspections re Scabies Cases403
Inspections re Women's Lavatories104
Miscellaneous (unclassified), including Re-inspections1560

As compared with 1918, the number of inspections, house-tohouse,
has diminished (2,180 as against 2,754), but the number
of re-inspections has increased (12,486 as against 6,530).
Difficulty in securing the prompt attention to notices served,
caused mainly by the increased cost of both material and labour,
has necessitated the giving of increased time to re-inspections by
your Inspectors. The mere inspection of defective conditions,
although valuable, is relatively futile if the necessary repairs are
not carried out. The number of drains tested was 103 compared
with 59 in 1918.
22. In accordance with the provisions of the Metropolis Management
Act, plans are submitted where the repair of drains is of
an extensive nature, and the information is likely to be of use
for future reference. It is not insisted that an elaborate drawing
should be provided, but a plan reasonably interpreting the drains
that have been attended to, is accepted. There have been during
the year, 32 plans submitted, Nos. 335 to 366.
23. Notices for the repair and reconstruction of 17 combined
drains, relating to the connections of 88 houses, were served on
the owners. These compare with 3 and 23 respectively in the
previous year.
In four cases in the present year the owners were in default,
and these were referred to the Borough Engineer to carry out
the necessary work and recover the cost.