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mortuary.—Three hundred and five bodies were deposited. Inquests were held in 168 cases, 124 were for Coroner's
enquiries without Inquests, the remaining 13 being taken to the Mortuary to await burial.
fumigation service and cleansing of verminous rooms.—During the year 45 notices were served under
Section 123 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936. In 2 cases it was necessary to institute legal proceedings, fines
being imposed, but most of the owners were glad to take advantage of the facilities offered by the Council's Fumigation
Service.
Altogether, 615 rooms were fumigated and 106 sprayed. The total number of rooms dealt with was considerably
fewer than the number dealt with in the previous year, when 1061 rooms were fumigated and 75 sprayed. This drop
is in a great measure due to the efficacy of the treatment, for whereas the same rooms were formerly dealt with year
after year, the percentage of recurrent cases now cropping up is less than one-half per cent (i.e., 1 in 200 cases dealt
with).
disinfecting station and medicinal baths.—About 20 tons of bedding etc. passed through the steam
disinfector ; 245 library books were dealt with, and 376 rooms were disinfected with formalin after the occurrence
of infectious disease.
There was a drop in the number of scabies cases reported during the year, and a corresponding decrease in the
number of cases dealt with at the Medicinal Baths, i.e., 955 as against 1,188 for 1945. The verminous cases dealt with
numbered 370.
The Disinfecting Station and Medicinal Baths are at present situated at the Kensal Road Baths, but it has been
evident for some time that the output of work renders a more commodious establishment highly desirable. The
Public Health Committee therefore decided that the Council's premises at 186, Kensal Road (which were being vacated
by Kensington Borough Council) could well be adapted for the purpose. The position at the end of 1946 was that the
Borough Engineer & Surveyor had been instructed to prepare a suitable scheme for early submission to the Committee
and the provisional sum of £5,700 was approved for inclusion in the Capital Estimates for 1947/1948.
rent and mortgage interest (restrictions) acts.—Residents of Paddington are becomingly increasingly
aware of their rights under these Acts as the result of the posters and leaflets issued by the Council. During the year
25 applications were received for certificates of disrepair and in only two instances did the condition of the dwellinghouses
not warrant certificates.
Upon payment of a fee of 1s., an owner is entitled to apply for a. certificate that the dwelling house has been put
into a reasonable state of repair, and, if granted, cancels the certificate issued to the tenant by which the tenant was
enabled to make certain deductions from the rent whilst his dwelling was not reasonably fit. Only 4 such certificates
were applied for and issued to landlords during the year.
factories act, 1937.—For the purposes of the Factories Act, 1937, factories are divided into two categories, i.e
those using mechanical power and those not using mechanical power. Where mechanical power is not employed
the Borough Council is responsible for the sections of the Act relating to cleanliness, overcrowding, temperature,
ventilation, drainage of floors and sanitary conveniences, but where mechanical power is employed the Council
deals with sanitary conveniences only, and H.M. Inspector of Factories with the other beforementioned general health
provisions. The London County Council is the responsible Authority in London for enforcing the provisions of the
Act relating to "means of escape in case of fire" in both categories of factories.