London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Paddington 1914
Report on the vital statistics and the work of the Public Health Department for the years 1914-18 (inclusive)
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HOUSING.
Supervision.—The Inspector made 15,218 inspections during the five years—in 1914,
3,310; in 1915,2,829; in 191(5, 2,834; in 1917, 3,414; and in 1918, 2,831. He found and
dealt with 378 nuisances and defects, of which an analysis is here appended.
Workrooms dirty 157
„ overcrowded 24
„ insufficiently ventilated 15
W.C. accommodation inadequate 14
„ „ not separate 11
apparatus defective 144
„ apartment unventilated 4
Sickness.—On premises where work was carried on 20(5 cases of infectious disease occurred
during the five years, but only 72 of the cases were in the workers' families. Those figures
include 81 cases in houses where out-workers lived, 39 of the cases occurring in their
families. The cases reported were—
Measles 125
Scarlet Fever 41
Diphtheria 12
Chickenpox 17
Whooping Cough 9
Erysipelas 2
Bakehouses.—At the end of 1913 there were 04 bakehouses in use, 16 being "level"
(i.e., above the basement) and 48 "underground-" At the end of 1918 the number in use was
58,* 17 being " level " and 41 "underground." During the war 20 underground bakehouses
were closed following disuse, but some were re-opened, as is allowed by Law. Of those
remaining out of use at the end of 1918, a certain number will not be re-opened.
The inspections of bakehouses during the five years numbered 1,797—389 of the factories
and 1,408 of the others. Frequent visits were necessary under the "Bread" and " Flour"
Orders, and such occasions were used for inspections (in the ordinary sense).
III.—HOUSING. Housing Acts.—During the five years 17 Closing Orders were made, 15 of which were determined before the end of 1918. See below.
| Address of Premises. | Closing Order. | |
|---|---|---|
| made. | determined. | |
| Cirencester Street, No. 40 | 1914 | 1915 |
| „ 42 | 1914 | 1915 |
| „ 43 | 1914 | 1914 |
| „ 44 | 1914 | 1915 |
| „ „ 48 | 1914 | 1916 |
| ,, 41 | 1915 | 1916 |
| Desborough Street, No. 9 | 1916 | 1917 |
| Alfred Road, No. 39 | 1917 | 1917 |
| ,, ,, 39a | 1917 | 1917 |
| Amberley Road, No. 11 | 1917 | 1918 |
| ,, „ 12 | 1917 | 1918 |
| ,, „ 15 | 1917 | 1918 |
| Cirencester Street, No. 37 | 1917 | 1918 |
| ,, 51 | 1917 | † |
| Dartington Terrace, No. 2 | 1917 | 1917 |
| Cirencester Street, No. 52 | 1918 | 1918 |
| ,, ,, 69 | 1918 | † |
In addition the following houses were closed by the owners and left derelict, most of them
being in ruins at the end of 1918:—
Dartington Terrace, No. 3.
Desborough Street, Nos. 4, S and 9.
Torquay Street, No. 15.
Tenement Houses.— I his term is used to describe those houses which, being occupied
by two or more families, are registered under the Bye-laws pursuant to Section 94 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891. The number of such houses, which was 1,350 at the end
of 1909, stood at 1,376 at the end of 1913, two Inspectors giving their whole time to the
supervision of this class of property. In October, 1914, Mr. Wingfield joined the Army, and
the sole charge devolved on Mr. Lawrence.
During 1909-13 the two Inspectors made 12,686 inspections, that total falling to 8,798
during 1914-18—representing a deficiency of supervision equal to nearly 31 per cent, of the
standard implied by the 1909-13 figures. In Table XV., Appendix, will be found a statistical
statement of the nuisances and defects found and dealt with during the last five years.
* Of the 58 bakehouses 26 are factories, 18 of them being underground.
† Cases not completed at end of 1918.