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

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Wandsworth 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]

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107
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The only suggestion which I could make and which I pointed
out to the Surveyor on my last visit, is that a corrugated iron screen
might be erected on the incline leading to the Destructor, so as to
prevent the occupants of the houses in Bertal Road from seeing the
carts ascending such incline.
(9). Owing to several complaints having been made with respect
to offensive privies at houses in course of construction special
inspections were made, chiefly in Putney, to ascertain if such
complaints were well founded. Several privies were discovered
some of which were decidedly nuisances, but others were at
a considerable distance from any inhabited house. It was
decided, however, to inform builders, by letter, that when a
privy was constructed, it should be constructed in accordance
with the By-laws of the London County Council, and that
notice must be given before a privy was constructed.
The privies in Putney which had been complained of
were immediately abolished, and where necessary, proper
conveniences were constructed. The following letter was
sent to a large number of builders in the Borough:—
Dear Sir,
The attention of the Council having been called to the fact
that during the erection of new houses in the Borough privies are
frequently constructed by the contractors for the use of the workmen,
and that no notice of intention to construct the same has been given
to this Council, I have therefore been instructed to inform you that
in every case where a privy is proposed to be constructed notice
must be given in accordance with the By-laws of the London County
Council, a copy of which is enclosed.
Yours faithfully,
P. CALDWELL SMITH,
Medical Officer of Hea/t/..
(10.) A large number of special inspections have this year teen
made of passages, yards, alleys, mews, and courts in the
Borough. It was found that several of these were unpaved
and undrained and after rain that they were sometimes in a