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London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1953
Section 43 of the above Act states that, on receipt of a report from
the medical officer of health or a health inspector that any aged person
within their district is verminous or is for any other reason in need of
cleansing in order to prevent injury or the danger of injury and is so
enfeebled that he is unable to avail himself of any facilities for cleansing
himself provided by the authority or to cleanse himself properly, the
sanitary authority may on application or with the consent of that
person (but not otherwise) cause him to be cleansed free of charge at
the place where he resides or at any other suitable place. The authority
is enabled to make such arrangements and provide any apparatus
required to exercise these powers.
No such cases arose during the year.
Anti-fly and anti-mosquito campaign
This campaign, which for some years has operated from early May
to the end of September, had this year to be considerably curtailed.
The reason was mainly due to resignations and illness which occurred
early in the period among the operatives normally seconded for this
work and the difficulties in appointing new staff. However it was
possible to deal with certain sites known to be particularly bad as
rubbish dumps, and a number of these were visited and treated several
times. Some of the rubbish found was burnt on the site, the remainder
being removed to the Council's depot for disposal with the household
refuse. Attention was also given to potential sources of flies, such as
stables and piggeries. A few complaints from householders were also
dealt with by the operatives. The co-operation of the Borough Engineer's
department was again available for the treatment of dustbins with
powder supplied by the health department.
Generally it would seem that there has been a considerable reduction
in fly infestations in recent years. This may be due to the
control methods adopted, particularly with the modern insecticides,
but probably weather conditions have also had some effect.
Health education
During the year the food inspectors during the course of their
routine inspections of foodshops took the opportunities offered to put
over items of health education to the occupiers, and on occasion to the
food handlers. A large number of posters were obtained from central
agencies in connection with health education generally and more particularly
perhaps with environmental hygiene and home safety.
The quarterly Bulletin on home safety continued to be distributed
to some 2,500 recipients in the borough. In the course of the year
four lectures or talks were delivered by the Health Department staff,
two of these to elder schoolgirls, and two to members of women's
clubs.