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
Fulham 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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32
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
The staff of public health inspectors remained below the establishment throughout the year
but thanks to the Council's training scheme, the position got no worse, indeed slightly improved
From that obtaining in 1961. Every attempt was made to deploy the staff to maximum advantage but
inevitably, many routine inspections could not be undertaken.
For the first time for several years the number of complaints calling for inspections increased
and this accounted for the necessity of serving rather more sanitary notices than in the previous
year.
Water Sampling
The regular monthly sampling for bacteriological examination of domestic supplies in
different parts of the borough continued. During the year 120 samples were taken, all except 17
being found satisfactory. In these unsatisfactory samples E. Coli were found in 7 samples
Suitable steps were taken and subsequent samples proved satisfactory.
The following information has been kindly supplied by Dr. E. Windle Taylor, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Director of Water Examination to the Metropolitan Water Board:
| Source of Supply | Number of Samples | AFTER TREATMENT | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agar plate count per ml. | Coliform count | E.Coll coupt | |||
| 20-24 hours 370 C | 3 days,at 22° C | Per cent. samples negative in 100 ml. | Per cent. samples negative in 100 ml. | ||
| Surbiton | 514 | 7.5 | - | 99.61 | 99.61 |
The results of the chemical examination of the samples taken were also satisfactory
Results of Swimming Bath Water Samples
During the year 23 samples of swimming bath water were taken from public and private baths,
all samples except one being reported free from B. Coli. Bacterial counts were all satisfactory
except in two cases where more than 300 per m.l. were found. Visits were paid and follow-up
samples taken which proved satisfactory.
Visits to Dwellings by Public Health Inspectors
| After complaint | 1,403 |
| After infectious disease | 207 |
| Re-inspections (generally) | 4,089 |
| Drains tested | 582 |
| Drains inspected | 1,161 |
| Voluntary drainage works supervised | 1,488 |
| Housing enquiries | 48 |
| Owners/Builders etc | 853 |
| Miscellaneous visits | 3 82 |
| Ineffectual visits | 2,057 |
| *Rodent control | 221 |
(* Additional to visits by rodent operatives separately reported on page 39).