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10
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Pancras Road, N.W.
April, 1914.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of St. Pancras.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the Fifty-eight Annual Report on
the vital statistics and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of St.
Pancras. This is the first occasion on which it has been my duty to submit an
Annual Report to you.
On January 28th, 1913, the Borough sustained a great loss in the death of
Dr. J. F. J. Sykes, who had held the position of Medical Officer of Health of
St. Pancras since 1885, a period of almost 28 years.
I took up my duties in the Borough on June 23rd, and have therefore acted
for the last six months of the year only.
The subject of tuberculosis has received much attention during the year,
particularly in regard to the duty which the Borough has undertaken of making
suitable arrangements for the provision of dispensaries for the treatment of
this disease, and for subsidising the treatment of those of its population who
are not provided for by the National Insurance Act.
A great deal of work has been done by the staff in regard to housing. From
January 1st the routine inspections of the houses in the Borough prescribed by
the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, has been carried out. In the
latter part of the year the regulations made under this Act in respect of underground
sleeping-rooms have been put in operation, and a number of unhealthy
basement rooms closed for sleeping purposes. In addition the provisions of
the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, as to the water-supply
in tenement houses have been applied to the houses inspected (in compliance
with a Council Minute of 23rd July, 1913), and extra water-supply thus secured
in many tenement-houses where it was badly needed.
Closing Orders have been made during 1913 for the first time under Section
17 of the Housing and Town Planning Act; 71 houses unfit for human
habitation have been closed by such orders, which were still in operation at the
end of the year.