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
Paddington 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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64
housing.
crowded," whereas the Inspectors found during the year only 293 families actually overcrowded,
as regards cubic space. The returns for 1902, when 61 cases of overcrowding were reported,
are not comparable, as no record was made of the overcrowding discovered by the visits
for annual cleansing, as was done in 1903.
The 293 families occupied 332 rooms, and comprised 1,281 persons (754 aged 10 years
and upwards, and 527 aged under 10 years). In 161 cases the overcrowding was abated by
a re-arrangement of the sleeping accommodation, 37 families voluntarily moved to other
rooms on being informed of the overcrowding, and 17 did so on service of notice. The remaining
78 families were " under observation " at the close of the year.
Sanitary Defects.—In Table 38 are set out the infringements of By-laws and nuisances
dealt with by the Inspectors during the year. The numbers show considerable increase in
consequence of the transfer of this work from the District to the Special Inspectors.
TABLE 38. Sanitary Defects Remedied in Registered Houses.
| Drain defective | 1902. * | 1903. 65 |
| „ unventilated | * | 46 |
| „ choked | 11 | 12 |
| Manhole cover defective | * | 1 |
| Surface inlet improperly trapped | * | 11 |
| Gully in living room | * | 1 |
| „ choked | * | 3 |
| Rain-water pipe not disconnected from drain or soilpipe | * | 12 |
| „ defective | 15 | 15 |
| Sink waste pipe not disconnected from drain | — | 5 |
| „ defective | 5 | 3 |
| Soilpipe not ventilated | * | 1 |
| Water-closet flushed direct from drinking water cistern | * | 4 |
| ,, defective | 17 | 21 |
| „ choked | 14 | |
| „ improperly constructed | * | 20 |
| „ foul | * | 21 |
| ,, without water supply | 8 | 7 |
| „ insufficiently flushed | 23 | 22 |
| „ without external light or ventilation | * | 2 |
| ,, accommodation insufficient | 23 | 17 |
| Cistern dirty ,, cover defective | 5 | 11 8 |
| „ improperly placed | * | 2 |
| Rooms dirtv Premises damp | 14 | 9 9 |
| Roof defective | 41 | 33 |
| Wash-house floor defective | 14 | 25 |
| Yard or area paving defective | 13 | 35 |
| Area dirty | _ | 5 |
| Dustbin defective | 38 | 33 |
| Accumulation of refuse | 18 | 11 |
* These were dealt with by the District Inspectors in 1902.
Sickness, &c.—In the 586 houses which have been on the Register since the beginning
of the Year, 396 cases of infectious diseases occurred, viz. :—
Small-pox 1 case
Diphtheria 15 cases Measles • 223 cases
Erysipelas 12 „ Whooping Cough 81 „ Probably partial
returns only.
Scarlet Fever 41 „ Chicken-pox 14 „ )
Enteric „ 9 „