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Section 127 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, authorises the cleansing of verminous
persons by the exercise of powers granted by a petty sessional court in cases where the verminous
person does not consent to being removed to a cleansing station. No use was made of this Section
during the year.
COMPULSORY REMOVAL OF AGED, INFIRM OR DISEASED PERSONS.
By virtue of Section 224 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, it is possible in London to
remove to " a suitable hospital or other institution, or other suitable place," by compulsion under
certain circumstances, aged, infirm, sick or physically incapacitated persons.
The circumstances which may enable an order for removal to be obtained are somewhat involved.
Unless the person concerned is suffering from disease it is necessary for the premises to be insanitary.
It is in all cases necessary as well to prove that the person is not receiving proper attention and that
removal is necessary in the interests of the affected person and of other persons.
It was not necessary for application to be made to the Court for the removal of any person during
the year.
SUPPLY OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
Section 227 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, empowers a sanitary authority, with the
sanction of the Minister of Health, to provide a "temporary supply of medicine and medical
assistance for the poor inhabitants of their district." Under the provisions of this Section 14,200
units of insulin were supplied to a resident of the Borough, through the Diabetic Clinic of the
University College Hospital, at a cost to the Council of £3 lis. Od.
FOULING OF PUBLIC FOOTWAYS BY DOGS.
The following bye-law was made by the Council on the 29th July, 1924, for the good rule and
government of the Borough:—
No person being in charge of a dog in any street or public place and having the dog on a lead
shall allow or permit such dog to deposit its excrement upon the public footway.
Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40 shillings.
This bye-law is enforced by the Medical Officer of Health and his staff. Active assistance is
given by the police, the Home Secretary having intimated in June, 1928, as a result of representations
from the Council, that the police had been instructed to report to the Council such offences against
the bye-law as come to their notice in the course of their ordinary duties. During 1937 there was one
prosecution, a fine of 10s. being imposed.
The publicity which has been given to the bye-law has had good effect in causing many dogowners
to be more careful. One minor difficulty in enforcing the bye-law is that an offender cannot
be compelled to divulge his identity, and cannot be given in charge as the police do not enforce the
bye-law.
Notices concerning the bye-law were frequently posted on shingle-bins throughout the Borough.