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

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Kensington 1900

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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53
amendments dealt with offensive trades, slaughter-houses, cow-sheds and dairies; with the disposal
of refuse ; regulations as to water-closets, unsound food, notification of infectious disease, cleansing
and disinfection of premises after infectious disease; isolation in hospital; exposure of infected
persons, &c. A number of additions to the Act were suggested, especially with regard to the
control of infectious disease. The report, subject to a slight variation in regard to proposed
amendments to section 55 (notification of infectious disease) was approved by the committee, and
submitted to the Vestry. Some of the amendments were adopted; others, and all but two of the
proposed additions, were rejected.
THE WORK OF THE SANITARY INSPECTORS.
The Table at page 54 contains a summary of the work of the sanitary inspectors during the
year—so far as it admits of tabulation. The duties of these officers were carried out under the supervision
of the sanitary committee, the late Vestry having conferred on that body power to enforce the
provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, the Housing of the Working Classes Act,
1890, and the Factory and Workshop Acts, 1878 to 1895. The staff in 1900 comprised a chief
inspector, six district inspectors, and the lady inspector of workshops, laundries, &c. Two " street
inspectors " superintended the carrying out of the regulations for the periodical removal of stable
refuse.
The Sanitary Districts are delimited as follows :—
The North Sanitary District comprises the portion of the borough to the north of the
Hammersmith and City railway, with the exception of a few streets at the south-west corner of
that area.
The North-west Sanitary District includes the streets above referred to, its northern
and eastern boundaries extending in a somewhat curved line from Latimer-road, along Waimerroad
to St. Katharine's-road ; it is bounded on the west by St. Ann's-road (even numbers) to
Latimer-road.
The North-east Sanitary District comprises the remainder of the area between the
railway (north), and a line running through Clarendon-place, St. John's-road, Kensington-parkgardens,
and Chepstow-villas (south); it is bounded on the west by Walmer-road, and on the
east by the borough boundary.
The Central Sanitary District takes in the area between High-street. Notting-hill, and
Holland-park-avenue (north), and Kensington High-street and Kensington-road (south) ; it also
comprises the streets in North Kensington to the south of the north- west and north-east districts
respectively.
The South-east and the South-west Sanitary Districts, south of Kensington High-street
and Kensington-road, lie east and west of a line running along Wright's-lane, Marloes-road,
Lexham-gardens, Collingham-road, The Boltons, and Gilston-road, to Fulham-road.
Written Intimations of nuisance were served by the inspectors, under section 3 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to the number of 2,607. As a result of these intimations, many
works of sanitary amendment were carried out forthwith, thus realising the intention of the
Legislature, and obviating necessity for the service of statutory notices. On the intimation form,
and on the statutory notice, a red ink note confers on the person liable to abate a nuisance the
right to make what, for convenience, may be called an " appeal" to the sanitary committee, against
the requirements of the sanitary inspector and the committee, respectively. Appeal, which is of
rare occurrence, usually takes the form of an application for extension of time for carrying out
works.
Statutory Notices for the abatement of nuisances to the number of 788 were issued during
the year, by the direction of the sanitary committee, and 1,234 notices were served under the
bye-laws for houses let in lodgings.
Supervision of reconstruction and trapping of drains, and of underground sanitary work
generally, is exercised by the Borough Engineer, and information on the subject must be sought in
that officer's report. Many drains were reconstructed by the owners or occupiers of houses, without
the issue of sanitary notices, on the deposit of plans for approval. Particulars on this head also will
be found in the Borough Engineer's report.