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

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Kensington 1923

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

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65
Arrangements have been made with the Councils of the neighbouring Boroughs of
Hammersmith and Fulham for the cleansing of residents (other than school children and lodginghouse
cases) of those Boroughs at the Medicinal Baths, on the recommendation and under the
responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health of the Borough in which the persons reside.
The Councils of these two Boroughs have agreed to pay 1s. per bath and to indemnify the
Council of the Royal Borough against any claim which a Hammersmith or Fulham person may
bring, in respect of any treatment given at the Medicinal Baths.
By an agreement entered into with the Paddington Borough Council, the cleansing at the
Medicinal Baths of residents of that Borough commenced on January 1st, 1924. The agreement
gives an indemnity to the Council of the Royal Borough similar to that given by the Hammersmith
and Fulham Authorities.

The record of work done at the Medicinal Baths during the year is as follows:—

Total Cleansings.
Scabies—
Adults117
Schoolchildren308
Children under five years30
Verminous Conditions:—
Adults36
Schoolchildren3,418
Children under five years1
Other Conditions—
Adults1
Schoolchildren7
Children under five years
Total3,918

The high pressure steam disinfector at the Medicinal Baths is proving of great value, and an
attempt is being made to disinfect as much clothing and bed linen as possible during the personal
cleansings, in order to obviate, as far as possible, re-infection of persons cleansed on return
to their homes.
In addition to the disinfection of the clothing worn by persons on their visit to the Medicinal
Baths, 836 other articles of clothing, 501 sheets, 86 Blankets, and certain other articles have
been dealt with.
The work carried out at the Medicinal Baths is most encouraging in its results, the marked
improvement in the general condition of the children being sent from the schools for cleansing being
easily noticeable as compared with conditions several years ago. At the 3,418 cleansings, only
87 children were found to be infested with lice, the remainder showing only eggs of lice on their
heads or clothing.
FOULING OF FOOTPATHS BY DOGS.
Towards the end of 1921, the Council succeeded in obtaining the approval of the following
By-law for the good rule and government of the Royal Borough:—
"No person being in charge of a dog in any street or public place and having the dog on a
lead shall allow or permit such dog to deposit its excrement upon the public footway.
"Any person offending against this by-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.
"This by-law shall cease to be in force after 31st day of December, 1923, unless a by-law
confirming and continuing its provisions has been duly made and come into force
before that date."
This by-law was made in pursuance of Section 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882,
Section 16 of the Local Government Act, 1888, and Section 5 of the London Government Act,
1889.
It will be noticed that the by-law was intended to lapse after an interval of two years, namely,
on the 31st December, 1923, unless a further by-law had been made and had come into operation
before that date.
In view of this time limit, the Council, being satisfied from their experience that this measure had
proved useful, made another by-law on the 31st July, 1923, in terms identical with the first one
with the exception that the paragraph giving a time limit was omitted.
This new by-law was sanctioned in due course by the Home Secretary, and the Council have
now a permanent measure by which they can secure a considerable improvement in the cleanliness
of the public footways.
The Council have issued pamphlets which have been posted in various places in the Borough
and delivered by hand to a large number of dog owners. The matter has also received notice in the
local press.
Two officers of the Council's Public Health Department make observations and during 1923
they reported four breaches of the by-law to the Public Health Committee. In two cases a