London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Southwark 1968

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

This page requires JavaScript

Table: At the end of the year the total number of Smoke Control Orders was 25 and the position with regard to the Borough as a whole was as follows: —

At the end of the year the total number of Smoke Control Orders was 25 and the position with regard to the Borough as a whole was as follows: —

AreaNo. of Dwellings
Whole Borough6,981 acres121,875
Orders operative at 31 December, 19684,176 acres57,098
Orders confirmed but not yet operative261 acres6,049

Text

Copy text to clipboard

Furnaces
Sixteen notifications of installations of furnaces were received under Section 3 (i)
of the Act. In 14 of these formal approval of plans and specifications was given. Ready
co-operation was forthcoming from the applicants with regard to use of oil of low viscosity
and sulphur content.
Legal Proceedings
It was necessary, after repeated warnings to take legal action againsta manufacturing
firm in respect of emissions of dark smoke. The firm who were defended by Counsel
pleaded not guilty, but a £2 fine on each of four Summonses was imposed with £5.5.0d.
total costs.
Health Education
As in previous years atmospheric pollution has figured prominently in the talks given
by the Public Health Inspector to schools and various organisations.

Table: Summary of Inspections

Summary of Inspections

Complaints received and investigated391
Nuisances536
Smoke Observations306
Smoke Control areas16,022
Industrial Premises534
Miscellaneous315

Text

Copy text to clipboard

PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949
1. Total number of properties in district 121,875
2. (a) Total number of properties inspected following notification 4,558
(b) Number infected by (i) rats 2,537
(ii) mice 1,859
3. (a) Total number of properties inspected for rats and/or mice for
reasons other than notification 81
(b) Number infested by (i) rats 51
(ii) mice 30

Table: The following table shows the work of the rodent control staff: —

The following table shows the work of the rodent control staff: —

Domestic PremisesBusiness Premises
RatsMiceRatsMice
Complaints received1,8851,302644583
Visits by investigators1,909611741709
Visits by rodent operatives11,4388,3823,5723,125
Number of premises cleared1,3551,066691665