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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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70
Sanitary Inspection of the Area.
The following table shows in detail matters relating to the
general sanitary condition of the City. The work of the district
sanitary inspectors is performed under several main headings : inspection
of nuisances and other insanitary conditions, whether on complaint or
otherwise; supervision of all new sanitary fittings and drainage in old
and new buildings, which includes reporting on plans of proposed sanitary
construction in respect of requirements laid down in the by-laws under
the Metropolis Management Acts and the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, duties connected with housing and infectious disease, and others
relating to the sanitary condition of the City.
Table I.
| Inspection of premises :— | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-Closets— | |||
| Primary Inspections— | Directly approached from rooms | 27 | |
| 975 | |||
| 542 | Accommodation insufficient | 36 | |
| (c) Housing Regulations, 1925 | 875 | Water Supply— | |
| Cisterns dirty and uncovered | 98 | ||
| 179 | Absence of—in upper floors of tenement houses | 9 | |
| (e) Other reasons | 2,308* | ||
| Total | 4,879 | Dustbins— | |
| Absence of | 83 | ||
| Insufficient | 67 | ||
| Re-inspections | 11,583 | ||
| Defective | 102 | ||
| Animals kept so as to be a nuisance | 19 | ||
| Primary inspections— | |||
| 365 | Other nuisances | 345 | |
| 1,930 | Dangerous structures noted | 27 | |
| Total | 2,295 | Overcrowding | 25 |
| Underground rooms illegally occupied | 92 | ||
| Re-inspections | 6,214 | ||
| Sanitary works supervised :— | |||
| Total Inspections— | |||
| 1,384 | Drains (including soil, waste, rainwater pipes, etc.)— | ||
| (6) Voluntary works | 10,943 | ||
| Nuisances, etc.:— | Constructed | 2,892 | |
| Altered, repaired, etc | 983 | ||
| Defective or dirty conditions of internal structure | 1,134 | Intercepting traps fixed | 143 |
| Petrol interceptors provided | 24 | ||
| Tested by smoke | 264 | ||
| Verminous conditions | 178 | ,, chemical | 402 |
| Damp conditions | 332 | ,, water | 2,736 |
| Defective drainage, water-closets, etc. | 283 | ,, air | 654 |
| W ater-closets—- | |||
| „ roofs | 225 | Constructed | 1,438 |
| „ paving of areas, etc. | 143 | Repaired and reconditioned | 476 |
| Water-closets— | Urinals— | ||
| Insufficiently ventilated or lighted | 38 | Constructed | 261 |
| Repaired and reconditioned | 82 | ||
* This figure includes 130 visits of enquiry in respect of smallpox contacts.
Restriction of Rent Acts.—No applications were received for certificates
under these Acts.