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
St Pancras 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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Where plenty of land is available, the ideal method, no doubt, is to have a low density of
persons per acre, but in London where land is so expensive and where people must often live
near their work, the many-storied buildings, so called model dwellings, if well constructed and
designed, can constitute very healthy homes, although the number of persons per acre will
be high. It is the overcrowding in individual rooms which chiefly tends to a high mortality,
increased sickness, and poor type of physique.
The shortage of houses renders the work of the Health Department much more difficult.
At present it is obviously undesirable to close or demolish bad house property, as this would
intensify overcrowding. Action has to be limited to getting as much repair work done as
possible, so as to keep existing houses reasonably fit for habitation.
Statistics for the year ended 31st December, 1923 (as required by the Ministry of Health):—
Number of new houses erected during the year:—
| 12 | |
| (b) with State assistance under the housing Acts, 1919 or 1923— | |
| (i) By Local Authority | Nil. |
| (ii) By other bodies or persons | Nil. |
| 1. Unfit dwelling-house*. | |
| Inspection—(1) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) | 2218 |
| (2) Numberof dwelling-houses which were inspectedand recorded under the Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910 | 879 |
| (3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a st???tes??? dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation | Nil. |
| (4) Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-heading) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation | 1370 |
| 2. Remedy of defects without Service of formal Notices. | |
| Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their Officers | Nil. |
| 3 Action under Statutory Powers. | |
| A.—Proceedings under section 28 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1919. | |
| (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs | Nil. |
| (2) Number of dwelling-houses which were rendered fit:— | |
| Nil. | |
| Nil. | |
| (3) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders became operative in pursuance of declarations by owners of intention to close | Nil. |
| B.—Proceedings under Public Health Acts. | |
| (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied | 3090 |
| (2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied:— | |
| 3090 | |
| (b) by Local Authority in default of owners | Nil. |