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
City of Westminster 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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They were distributed thus:-
| Council. | Sent from Westminster. | Received by Westminster. | Council. | Sent from Westminster. | Received by Westminster. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. | Aug. | Feb. | Aug. | Feb. | Aug. | Feb. | Aug. | ||
| Acton | 6 | 12 | – | – | Kingston-on-Thames | 1 | – | – | |
| Barnes | — | 3 | – | — | Lambeth | 44 | 82 | 2 | – |
| Battersea | 57 | 73 | 1 | — | Lewisham | 3 | 11 | 2 | 2 |
| Beckenham | — | 2 | – | — | Leyton | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Bedfont | — | 1 | – | — | London, City | 8 | 18 | 25 | 31 |
| Bedford | – | 1 | – | — | Luton | – | 1 | — | – |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 4 | 1 | – | Merton | — | 1 | — | – |
| Bethnal Green | 8 | 18 | – | — | Newbury | — | 1 | — | – |
| Billingshurst | — | 1 | – | — | Northampton | — | 6 | — | – |
| Camberwell | 22 | 54 | – | 1 | Paddington. | 50 | 85 | 20 | 14 |
| Cambridge | – | 1 | – | — | Perth | – | 1 | — | – |
| Charlton Kings | – | 1 | – | — | Ponder's End | — | 1 | — | – |
| Chelsea | 10 | 12 | 33 | 33 | Poplar | — | 1 | — | – |
| Chiswick | 3 | 3 | – | — | Sr. Leonards | – | 1 | — | – |
| Croydon | 5 | 6 | – | — | St. Marylebone | 507 | 733 | 56 | 51 |
| Deptford | – | 4 | – | — | St. Pancras | 94 | 324 | 6 | 4 |
| Ealing | 4 | 6 | – | — | Shoreditch | 6 | 11 | — | 1 |
| East Ham | 1 | 1 | – | — | Southend | – | 1 | — | – |
| Edmonton | 1 | 3 | – | — | Soutliwark | 20 | 43 | — | – |
| Farnborough | 1 | 2 | – | — | Stepney | 60 | 101 | — | – |
| Finchley | – | 1 | – | — | Stoke Newington | – | 2 | — | – |
| Finsbury | 4 | 12 | 6 | 2 | Tottenham | 3 | 5 | — | – |
| Fulham | 15 | 39 | – | — | Walthamstow | — | 1 | — | – |
| Hackney | 10 | 13 | 1 | 2 | Wandsworth | 40 | 60 | 9 | 1 |
| Hammersmith | 25 | 53 | – | — | Wantage | — | 1 | — | – |
| Hampstead | 7 | 8 | 1 | 4 | Wealdstone | — | 2 | — | – |
| Hanwell | – | 2 | – | — | Wembley | — | 1 | — | – |
| Harrow - on - the -Hill | – | 1 | – | – | West Ham | 4 | 7 | — | – |
| Willesden | 53 | 75 | 1 | – | |||||
| Hendon | – | 1 | – | — | Wimbledon | 1 | 3 | — | – |
| Holborn | 80 | 103 | 29 | 28 | Woolwich | — | 1 | — | – |
| Hornsey | – | 4 | 1 | 2 | Yeovil | — | 1 | — | – |
| Ilford | – | 1 | – | — | – | ||||
| Islington. | 30 | 49 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Kensington | 30 | 58 | 36 | 41 | 1,216 | 2,141 | 233 | 220 | |
Workers are frequently in the employ of several firms, so that the
number of names returned does not necessarily coincide with the actual
number of workers, the actual number of persons resident in the City
is found to be 1,825, being 47 more than in the previous year. All those
living in Westminster were visited, and the sanitary condition, not only
of the rooms occupied, but of the whole house, was inquired into. The
actual number of houses in which outwork was being done was 975.
Notices were served in respect of 657 defects discovered in 323
houses. They may be summarised thus:—
Notices were served in respect of 657 defects discovered in 323 houses. They may be summarised thus:—
| 1910 | 1911 | 1910 | 1911 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary accommodation— | Walls and ceilings dirty | 250 | 248 | ||
| Rooms verminous | 17 | 22 | |||
| Insufficient | 4 | 3 | Rooms overcrowded | 4 | 5 |
| Not kept separate | 10 | 12 | Rooms badly ventilated | 15 | 24 |
| Improper position. | – | 5 | Gas stoves and heaters unventi-lated | 9 | 11 |
| Apparatus defective | 87 | 72 | |||
| Requiring cleansing | 42 | 27 | Other defects (dampness, defective roofs, floors, water supply, dust | 112 | 103 |
| Ventilation defective | 8 | 5 | |||
| Drains, &c., defective | 33 | 20 |