London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St Pancras 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
| Date of Hearing | Address | Offence | Result of Proceedings, Court and Magistrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.10.46 | 2, Barclay Street | Failing to remedy defective inner and parting beading to window of top floor back room, defective inner-beading of right window and defective sashcords and glazing of one pane of left window to top floor front room | † |
| 15.10.46 | 63, Barclay Street | Failing to cleanse walls and ceiling of second floor back room | |
| 28.11.46 | 114, Prince of Wales Road | Failing to cleanse walls and ceilings to top floor front and back rooms and to remedy defective ceiling plaster | Nuisance abated. Summons withdrawn. Costs £2 2s. Mr. Paul Bennett, V.C., Marylebone. |
† For result of proceedings see Public Health (London) Act, 1936.
Rat Extermination.
An important advance in rodent control was made during the year 1946 when the Ministry
of Food agreed to increase the Government grant provided the Council undertook the systematic
treatment of the Borough area by area. The preparation of the scheme and the training of
staff was completed in December. A full report on the efficacy of the scheme will not be
available, therefore, until 1947.
Although the Ministry of Food is the Government department responsible for the central
administration of rodent control, so far as St. Pancras is concerned the extermination of rats is
important not only for the preservation of food supplies but in the interests of public health.
Rats can carry disease, such as the organism responsible for salmonella food poisoning, typhoid
fever and dysentery, and their presence in dwelling houses causes loss of sleep and has a dangerous
effect upon the nervous system, especially of women and children.
There were 834 complaints of rat infestation during the year. . 660 premises were
treated ; 181 were business premises in respect of which receipts from occupiers amounted to
approximately £375, and 479 were private dwellings where the service was free of charge.
Mortuary and Coroner's Court.
The number of cases dealt with at the Public Mortuary, Camley Street, during the year were:—
| (1) Bodies received | 858 | |
| (2) Post-mortems held :— | ||
| (a) St. Pancras cases. | ||
| (i) Resident and died in St. Pancras | 175 | |
| (ii) Resident in St. Pancras, died elsewhere | 56 | |
| (iii) Died in St. Pancras, resident elsewhere | 77 308 | |
| 518 | 826 | |
| (3) Bodies received for viewing only | 32 | |
| (4) Inquests held | 570 | |
(7090)
C 3