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 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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The rodent staff deal with infestations from pests other than rats and mice, and the following is a summary of all action taken during the year:-
| Premises inspected following complaints | 842 |
| Premises where rats were found | 185 |
| Premises where mice were found | 562 |
| Premises where other vermin were found | 121 |
| Number of visits made | 3,813 |
| Number of successful treatments | 909 |
| Cases in which advice only was given | 49 |
| Borough Council properties (excluding dwelling houses) dealt with | 12 |
PHARMACY AND POISONS ACT. 1933
At the end of the year the number of sellers of Part II Poisons
(other than registered pharmacists) on the list maintained by the Council
was 121. Of this number 8 were new registrations during the year.
RAG FLOCK AND OTHER FILLING MATERIALS ACT. 1951
This Act regulates the use of clean filling materials in
upholstered articles and other articles which are stuffed or lined.
Subject to certain exceptions, the Act makes it unlawful to
use prescribed filling materials except on premises registered by a
local authority. The local authority are required, on the application
of the occupier of premises, to register the premises on payment of a
registration fee of One Pound. At the end of the year there were 19
registered premises in the borough.
If on registered premises there are unclean filling materials,
the occupier shall be guilty of an offence. It is also an offence to
sell or offer for sale any article which is upholstered with unclean
filling materials (second-hand articles are excepted).
Inspections of the registered premises were made during the year, and 4 samples of rag flock and other fillings were taken for analysis. The results were:-
| Description | No. of Samples | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algerian Fibre | 1 | 1 | - | ||
| Cotton Felt | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hair | 1 | 1 | — | ||
The unsatisfactory sample of cotton felt failed to meet the
requirements of the Regulations in respect of the Dust Index which was
found to be 2.0% the permitted maximum being 1.8%. A warning was
given to the suppliers.
The Act further provides that no rag flock shall be delivered
to registered premises except from premises licensed for manufacturing
rag flock or used as a store for rag flock. A local authority on
receiving from the occupier of premises an application for the grant or
renewal of an annual licence authorising him to manufacture rag flock
or to use his premises as a rag flock store, may grant or renew the
licence on payment of a fee of One Pound. No licences have been
issued in Kensington.
PET ANIMALS ACT. 1951
This Act requires that no person shall keep a pet shop except
under the authority of a licence issued by the Council and in compliance
with any conditions specified in the licence.