Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
This page requires JavaScript
73
ported by "charity" and managed by a "Committee,"
which thus escape registration and inspection under the
Act and which have no claim to such exception.
Five persons died without medical attendance and
without an inquest. It is of course "understood" that
there is no suspicion of foul play in any of these cases,
but on examining the certificates we find that these died
at the ages of seven hours, two days, and two months
respectively, and, by a strange coincidence, all of one disease
—"Convulsions." It is merely stultifying the register to
put the cause of death at all, especially such an unlikely
one at the above ages, when dentition had not commenced.
Far better register the cause of death as "unknown" than
have our statistics swelled up with fanciful diseases.
Sanitary Proceedings.—In Table VI. in the Appendix
will be found an epitome of the Sanitary operations of the
year, for which I am indebted to our active and able
Surveyor, Mr. Radford. During the year 819 inspections
of houses, &c., were made; in 103 cases it was necessary
to give notice of required improvements, and 14 of them
required a second application. In four cases it was necessary
to obtain an order from the Magistrate, to compel for
the public good, the carrying out of improvements. We
have 21 cesspools fewer in the sub-district, and one
piggery, during the year.
Some parts of this Sub-district were subjected during
the year to the great fault of our modern sewage system—
overflow of the Sewers. This was due to the heavy rainfall
frequently exceeding the carrying powers of the
sewer, which is well adapted for the conveyance of the
ordinary sewage of the district, but can never receive the
waterfall of the large area which falls within the limits of
this parish There are certain watercourses, especially the
Beverly Brook, which should be made to carry off the
surface drainage, and so relieve the sewer of that task.