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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Table LXII.—District Sanitary Inspection.
| Inspection of premises :— | Water-Closets— | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dwelling-houses- | Insufficiently ventilated or lighted | 283 | |
| Primary Inspections— | |||
| 947 | Directly approached from rooms | 53 | |
| 1,122 | |||
| (c) Special Housing Inspections | 1,126 | Accommodation insufficient | 64 |
| Water Supply— | |||
| 1,427 | Insufficient or unsatisfactory | 29 | |
| Cisterns dirty and uncovered | 33 | ||
| (e) Housing applications | 285 | Absence of—in parts of tenement houses | 62 |
| (f) Housing Act, 1936 (overcrowding) | 340 | ||
| 3,282 | Dustbins- | ||
| Total | 8,529 | Absence of | 32 |
| Insufficient | 39 | ||
| Defective | 53 | ||
| Re-inspections | 10,828 | Animals kept so as to be a nuisance | 3 |
| Other nuisances | 454 | ||
| Primary inspections— | Dangerous structures noted | 12 | |
| 522 | Overcrowding | 71 | |
| (b) Other reasons | 7,507 | Sanitary works supervised :— | |
| Total | 8,029 | Drains (including soil, waste, rainwater pipes, etc.)— | |
| Re-inspections | 5,796 | Constructed | 6,782 |
| Altered, repaired, etc | 1,291 | ||
| 33,182 | Intercepting traps fixed | 62 | |
| Petrol interceptors provided | 33 | ||
| Tested by smoke | 525 | ||
| ,, chemical | 390 | ||
| Total Inspections— | ,, water | 1,242 | |
| 2,176 | „ air | 622 | |
| (b) Voluntary works | 11,561 | W ater-closets— | |
| Nuisances, etc.:— | Constructed | 1,814 | |
| Defective or dirty conditions | Repaired and reconditioned | 596 | |
| of internal structure | 1,242 | Urinals— | |
| Verminous conditions | 221 | Constructed | 216 |
| Damp conditions | 565 | Repaired and reconditioned | 42 |
| Inadequate under-floor ventilation | 216 | ||
| Waste Fittings fixed— | |||
| Defective drainage, water- | Baths | 1,362 | |
| closets, etc. | 496 | Bidets | 85 |
| „ roofs | 152 | Lavatory basins | 2,927 |
| ,, paving of areas, etc. | 28 | Sinks, etc. | 2,237 |
Nuisances.—Intimation notices were served in 894 instances, the
number of premises concerned being 862. Statutory notices authorised
by the sanitary authority numbered 26 and related to 26 premises An
owner was prosecuted under the byelaws of the London County Council
for failing to maintain water-closets in a proper state of repair The
necessary work having been completed before the hearing of the case, the
summons was withdrawn on payment of £2 2s. costs.