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
Kensington 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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| DESCRIPTION OF WORK. | NUMBER OF DISTRICT. | Housing Inspectors. | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Total complaints received | 164 | 477 | 508 | 305 | 308 | 206 | 176 | 311 | 59 | 2,514 |
| Public Health (London) Act, 1891. | ||||||||||
| Complaints received | 82 | 248 | 132 | 277 | 267 | 182 | 175 | 264 | 13 | 1,640 |
| Houses inspected on complaint | 82 | 250 | 132 | 277 | 267 | 182 | 197 | 285 | 13 | 1,685 |
| ,, after infectious disease | 153 | 313 | 345 | 132 | 47 | 33 | 56 | 73 | _ | 1,152 |
| Re-inspections | 2,774 | 722 | 875 | 2,481 | 1,776 | 2,076 | 1,032 | 2,578 | 18 | 14,332 |
| By-Laws re houses let in lodgings. | ||||||||||
| Complaints received | 82 | 229 | 376 | 28 | 41 | 24 | 1 | 47 | 46 | 874 |
| Houses inspected on complaint | 82 | 229 | 376 | 28 | 41 | 24 | 1 | 47 | 46 | 874 |
| First annual inspection (furnished houses) | 29 | _ | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 39 |
| Re-inspections do. do. | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 6 |
| First annual inspection (unfurnished houses) | 50 | 107 | 19 | 15 | 47 | 44 | 6 | 49 | 257 | 594 |
| Re-inspections do. do. | 1,304 | 3,311 | 1,245 | 221 | 318 | 204 | 11 | 100 | 25 | 6,739 |
| Housing Act, 1925. | ||||||||||
| Initial inspections (including preparation or revision of house-to-house card) | 744 | 295 | 119 | 81 | 222 | 184 | 24 | 71 | 257 | 1,997 |
| Re-inspections | 298 | 598 | 349 | 239 | 70 | 5 | 6 | 52 | 5,670 | 7,287 |
| Underground living rooms. | ||||||||||
| Primary inspections | 63 | 39 | 66 | 54 | 40 | 1 | — | 26 | 39 | 328 |
| Re-inspections | 71 | 4 | 186 | 83 | 12 | — | — | 50 | 786 | 1,192 |
| Drainage. | ||||||||||
| House drains tested and inspected | 204 | 47 | 57 | 424 | 45 | 113 | 59 | 86 | 185 | 1,220 |
| Voluntary drainage work. | ||||||||||
| Applications made | 25 | 6 | 23 | 72 | 118 | 137 | 144 | 212 | — | 737 |
| Plans submitted | 5 | 5 | 21 | 25 | 59 | 72 | 89 | 117 | 50 | 443 |
| Inspections of mews | 288 | 358 | 99 | 15 | 38 | 181 | 209 | 42 | 7 | 1,237 |
| „ canal boats | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| „ common lodging houses | — | _ | — | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | 67 |
| Smoke observations | 17 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | — | — | 28 |
| Other inspections | 545 | 448 | 338 | 468 | 767 | 170 | 478 | 505 | 119 | 3,838 |
The following table shows the number of notices which have been issued in respect of nuisances, defects, etc., found in the various districts during the year:—
| NUMBER OF DISTRICT. | Housing Inspec. tors. | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Intimation notices | 150 | 519 | 257 | 176 | 158 | 240 | 77 | 165 | 33 | 1,775 |
| Statutory notices | 34 | 152 | 35 | 22 | 39 | 62 | 9 | 35 | 1 | 389 |
| Final notices | 7 | 37 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 8 | — | 6 | — | 79 |
| Summonses issued | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 5 | — | 1 | 11 | 21 |
| Housing Acts, 1925 and 1980. | ||||||||||
| Sect. 17 (1930) (Repairs) | 3 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 257 | 289 |
| Sect. 6 (Bye-laws) | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Sect. 127 (1925) (Entry) | 35 | 74 | 31 | 18 | 11 | — | — | — | 961 | 1,130 |
| Underground room habitation | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 10 |
| Removal of manure | 3 | 5 | 8 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 20 |
| Smoke nuisance orders | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rent Restrictions Act certificates | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other notices | 27 | 79 | 16 | 29 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 13 | 169 |
| Report of waste of water to M.W.B. | 12 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 95 |
| „ dangerous structures to L.C.C. | 5 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 31 | 73 |