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Close co-operation between the officers of the sanitary authority
and those of the Education Authority exists in dealing with infectious
diseases. Notices as required by the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, were sent to the head teacher of the schools
attended by the patient or contacts of the patient, followed by
further notices indicating the contacts of the patient who in the
opinion of the Medical Officer of Health should be excluded from
school on account of infectious disease.
Rag Flock.
The Public Health (London) Act, 1936, prohibits the sale or
use for the purposes of making any article of upholstery, cushions
or bedding of flock manufactured from rags unless such flock conforms
to a standard of cleanliness as may be prescribed by regulations
made by the Minister.
There are three premises in the Borough concerned with the
sale of rag flock. One sample was taken for analysis during the
year and found to be satisfactory. Rag flock shall be deemed
to conform to a cleanliness standard if the amount of chlorine
present does not exceed 30 parts in 100,000 parts of the flock.
Removal to Institutions of Aged, Infirm or Physically
Incapacitated Persons.
Twenty-one cases of elderly persons living alone and who were
reported as being unable to devote to themselves proper care and
attention came to the notice of the Public Health Department.
It was not found necessary to apply for a magistrate's order
under Section 224 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for the
compulsory removal of any of these old people.
In five instances persuasion by the Council's Inspector was
effective in securing removal of the person to an institution, in 8
cases arrangements were made for the cleansing of the premises
thereby enabling these old people to continue to live in their own
homes ; in 2 instances friends of the persons concerned undertook
to supervise them, one old person agreed to obtain medical treatment
and in the remaining 5 cases, no action was required by the
Department's Officers.
Rat Repression.
During the year 197 complaints of the presence of rats were
received and investigated by the district sanitary inspectors.
Where the nuisance was due to the defective condition of the
drains, or as a result of rats gaining access to premises from disused