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
Bethnal Green 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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The following sanitary defects were discovered during the year:—
| Dirty rooms | 6,485 |
| Defective drains and choked w.c.'s | 501 |
| Defective and dirty w.c.'s | 1,554 |
| Defective water supply | 351 |
| Defective paving | 467 |
| Defective gutters and rainwater pipes | 584 |
| Defective roofs | 1,630 |
| Dampness | 849 |
| Defective dustbins | 1,043 |
| Smoke nuisances | 28 |
| Other defects | 10,755 |
| Total | 24,247 |
The work of the outdoor staff is reflected in the
volume of clerical work associated with sanitary
administration. During the year, in addition to
recording the above mentioned nuisances and defects,
5,462 Preliminary Notices and 2,437 Nuisance
Notices requiring the remedying of Nuisances were
written and served.
The legal proceedings which were necessary to
enforce the Notices served are reported on in the
appendix to this report.
At the beginning of the year there were 804
premises with nuisances outstanding. During the
year, nuisances at 5,311 premises were abated and
909 premises with nuisances outstanding were carried
forward to 1939.
COMMON LODGING HOUSES.
There are 4 such premises in the Borough, and
the Inspectors paid 50 visits to them. Three sanitary
notices were served.