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
Poplar 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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The contents of the bins are collected by motor vehicles which patrol to a scheduled time-table.
| Motor sweeping machines engaged on street cleansing | 2 |
| Motor vehicles employed on the collection of street sweepings | 5 |
| Number of men engaged | 124 |
Street Watering.
Three motor street watering tanks supplemented by six horse-drawn
vans constitute the street watering service.
Gully Cleansing.
A programme of conversion of brick gullies of 170 gallons capacity
to pot gullies of 30 gallons capacity is being proceeded with, and improved
sanitary conditions result from this work.
Three mechanical gully emptiers are employed and three men
(including driver) are engaged with each vehicle, and the gullies receive
regular attention.
Number of street gullies in the Borough:.
| Brick gullies | 2,600 |
| Pot gullies | 599 |
| 3,199 | |
| Number of gully cleansings:. | |
| Brick (170 gallons) | 11,226 |
| Pot (30 gallons) | 3,352 |
| 14,578 | |
Refuse Disposal.
Refuse is discharged into barge at Northumberland Wharf, where
three hydraulic hoists render possible the discharge of loads at all states
of the tide. It is then tipped at Bowers Gifford, near Pitsea, in strict