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

Southwark 1925

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]

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38
SMOKE ABATEMENT.
The number of observations made during the year are eet out below.
The chief cause of smoke in Southwark is due to the small houses, each
•of which has several tenants who have a small coal fire for heating purposes
or occasional cooking. This means a multiplication of coal fires
with a large volume of carbon pouring from them, which in the damp
vaporous atmosphere overlying the marshy subsoil causes the preponderance
of fog which causes so great a mortality from bronchial troubles
in the district.
If tenants are encouraged to burn their waste matter the production
of smoke, with resulting pollution of the atmosphere will be largely
increased, and the incidence and mortality from bronchial troubles will
rise proportionately. It is useless to talk of smoke abatement on one
hand and to advise burning of rubbish in grates and under coppers on
the other
BLACK SMOKE.
During the year 1925 two complaints were received at the Public
Health Office from persons other than the Council's Inspectors.

Table: TABLE 21Showing the Number of Observations, &c., in regard to Smoke Nuisances made by the several Ward Inspectors during 1925.

TABLE 21Showing the Number of Observations, &c., in regard to Smoke Nuisances made by the several Ward Inspectors during 1925.

St. Mary's Ward.St. Paul's Ward.St. Peter's Ward.St. John's Ward.Trinity Ward.All Saints' Ward.St. Michael's Ward.St. Jude's Ward.St. George's Ward.Christchurch Ward.St. Saviour's Ward.Total for Borough.
Number of observations made by the inspectors1——2--—--—-3
Number of nuisances observed------------
No. of Intimation Notices served------------
No. of Statutory Notices served------------
No. of Summonses taken out——----------

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During the year 1924, nine complaints were received at the Public
Health Office, 36 observations were made, 7 nuisances were observed
and six intimation and five statutory notices were served.
HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS.
Local Bye-laws were made in 1911, but these have since the commencement
of the War been obsolete owing to the fact that a rental basis
was taken as a standard, and owing the variations in rental taking the
houses out of the purview of the Bye-laws, they became unworkable
except in a few instances. These houses will need entire revision when
the new Bye-laws of the London County Council come into force.