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
Islington 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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60
1929]
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| Areas Constrected | - |
| Paved | - |
| Yards; Paved | 5 |
| Repaved | 18 |
| Sinks: Provided | 15 |
| Waste pipe repaired | — |
| Domestic Water Supply: Cisterns provided | - |
| Cisterns repaired and cleansed | 10 |
| Water supply provided to dwelling house | — |
| Water supply provided to tenement house | 2 |
| Walls and ceiling of Rooms cleansed and redecorated | 450 |
| Other Improvements: Staircase and passages repaired, cleansed and redecorated | 88 |
| Floor space ventilated | 3 |
| Floors repaired | 81 |
| Guttering and rain water pipes repaired | — |
| Roofs repaired | 92 |
| Overcrowding abated | 3 |
| Illegal use of underground Rooms for sleeping discontinued | 1 |
| Other Improvements, or Nuisances abated | 944 |
| Rooms Disinfected | — |
| Total Improvements | 1951 |
| Total Premises Improved | 406 |
SEWER EMANATIONS.
During the year fairly frequent complaints were received from residents in
the neighbourhoods where manhole covers with openings were being used to ventilate
the sewers, these particular covers having been previously quite closed. When
these complaints were investigated it was found that the sewers in question were
London County Council sewers. In Spencer Street the Sanitary Inspector who
went to investigate the cause of the smells and sore throats reported that the
stench was so strong that he himself was almost overpowered by it. Complaints
were received in respect of Lucerne Road (at the corner of Ancona Road, Highbury),
Barnsbury Street (outside the Syphon Factory), also outside the Motor
Garage in Lofting Road. A petition was received from the inhabitants of Bemerton
Street and adjacent streets regarding the strong stench at the corner of Lyon
Street and Bemerton Street. The large number of complaints appeared to show
that the ventilation in this manner could not be carried out without giving not only
offence but causing risk to the health of the inhabitants nearby through the production
of "septic" throats." The Clerk to the London County Council was
written to and asked to call the attention of the appropriate Committee to these
complaints, which on investigation we found to be justified. At the same time
complaints were being forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health of the Borough
Council from the Ministry of Heatlh, where they had been sent direct.
A very considerable survey of the areas in which the smells occurred was
undertaken by the Sanitary Inspectors. Most of the complaints were in regard