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
London County Council 1920
Annual report of the Council, 1920. Vol. III. Public Health
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1910. In February, 1910, powers were conferred on the County Council for the licensing of seamen's
lodging-houses, and since that year all such houses have been annually licensed. In June, 1917, the
bylaws were further amended to permit of a wider interpretation of the definition of a "seaman," as
the then existing bylaws were restricted in their application to houses where seamen who had service as
such within the preceding four weeks were lodged; great difficulty was experienced in proving eea
service within this period, and the four-week limit was therefore eliminated in the new bylaws.
In the following table will be seen the number of houses, the authorised number of lodgers, the number of convictions with the penalties inflicted, and other particulars during each year since these houses were licensed by the Council:—
| Year. | No. of houses licensed. | Authorised number of lodgers. | No. of day visits. | No. of night visits. | No. of prosecutions. | No. of convictions. | Penalties and costs. | No. of cases of infectious disease. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | ||||||||
| 1910 | 37 | 1,157 | 2,404 | 197 | 15 | 14 | 90 | 9 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 36 | 1,173 | 1,465 | 204 | 7 | 6 | 52 | 13 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 41 | 1,066 | 1,079 | 210 | 18 | 13 | 81 | 12 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 44 | 1,120 | 1,814 | 237 | 15 | 4 | 29 | 16 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 35 | 1,043 | 1,247 | 174 | 4 | 4 | 59 | 13 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 43 | 1,186 | 1,660 | 255 | 11 | 8 | 76 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 1916 | 53 | 1,271 | 1,422 | 193 | 26 | 17 | 313 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 57 | 1,461 | 1,637 | 142 | 7 | 6 | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 59 | 1,486 | 1,666 | 85 | 15 | 12 | 139 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 57 | 1,381 | 1,542 | 76 | 17 | 17 | 118 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 53 | 1,298 | 1,496 | 109 | 10 | 6 | 91 | 10 | 0 | — |
Census of Homeless Persons.
In accordance with the practice which has obtained for several years, a census of homeless persons
in thecounty of London was taken on the night of 13th February, 1920. The area covered extended
over the whole of the county except the outlying portions which are not usually the resort of such persons.
The night was fine and fairly mild. Only ten persons (3 males and 7 females) were found sheltering
under arches or on staircases. In the streets, 28 men and 13 women were found, as compared with
1 man and 5 women in 1919, and 296 men and 76 women in the early part of 1914 before the war.
In the common lodging-houses, 14,333 persons were accommodated as compared with 12,336 in
1919, and 20,173 in 1914. In the free shelters and labour homes not licensed as common lodging-houses
there were 86 men, 61 women and 2 children, as compared with 31 men, 59 women and 1 child in 1919.
The number of persons in London casual wards on the night in question was 86 males and 2 females,
and there were 308 vacant beds. The number of inmates at the date of the last census was 50, and
the vacant beds numbered 346. At Rowton House 5,054 men were accommodated as against 4,984 in
1919, and there were no vacant beds as against 80 in 1919.
Scheme for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Venereal Disease.
As the outcome of the findings of the Royal Commission, the Local Government Board issued,
in July, 1916, the Public Health (Venereal Disease) Regulations, which placed on County Councils, etc..
the duty of making arrangements for the diagnosis and treatment of venereal diseases within their areas.
The Council thereupon entered into negotiations with the governing bodies of the principal London
hospitals, and as a result 22 of these institutions intimated their willingness to undertake the requisite
services. A Scheme, in which the authorities of certain areas adjacent to the County of London were
desirous of co-operating, was prepared and came into force on the 1st January, 1917. Since that date
the arrangements have been renewed annually, and where considered desirable increased facilities for
treatment have been provided and existing arrangements made more efficient.
During the year 1920 special provision was made for the treatment of infected pregnant women
and for the residential treatment of children, especially female children, suffering from gonorrhoea.
Further it was found possible to include in the Scheme provision for hospital treatment of ophthalmic
conditions associated with venereal disease. Additional hostel accommodation was also secured and
a further extension of this valuable adjunct to hospital treatment is contemplated. Towards the end
of the year a complete survey of the whole of the existing arrangements was made and a comprehensive
report was prepared by Brevet-Colonel L. W. Harrison, D.S.O., M.B., of the Ministry of Health and
Dr. F. N. Kay Menzies of the Council's public health department. Recommendations for extending and
increasing the efficiency of the clinics and for dealing more adequately with the problems of rescue
and preventive work were submitted and are now being considered by the Public Health Committee
of the Council.
The following table shows the extent to which the facilities have been utilised by London patients
during the four years the Scheme has been in operation. The number of beds available for the use of
in-patients is 230.
Year.
1917.
1918.
1919.
1920.
Number of hospitals 225 26 28
New patients 12,211 12,538 20,908 23,612
Attendances 96,398 131,869 232,659 365,478
In-patients days of treatment 48,860 49,590 54,431 54,529
Pathological examinations for practitioners 2,992 5,122 8,258 11,234
Practitioners on the approved list 108 178 240 297