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In the inspection of public houses the beer cellar is obviously a place of
importance. 25 per cent. of these cellars required cleansing of the walls and
ceiling. I do not think that this figure should be regarded as evidence that
the cellars were in an unsatisfactory condition. It should be taken merely as an
indication that we expect and are able to obtain a very high standard from the
brewers. The normal cellar is unceiled; the joists and underside of the timber
flooring of the bars above form the ceiling. These surfaces require almost
annual cleansing if they are to present anything like a reasonably attractive
appearance.
In 97 cases, utilisers are used, or spillings are filtered through paper
and the beer returned to the casks for sale. Although this Is a big figure
(approximately 38 per cent.), it is a considerable reduction over the 1948
figure of 178. In the ten years that have elapsed since the first routine
inspection was made 81 public houses which were selling filtered spillings have
decided to dispose of them to waste.
With one exception the pipelines were found to be above criticism. Of
recent years, porcelain and glass tubing has largely been replaced by plastic
with glass insertions.
Public Health Annexe
During the course of the year the Council's Public Health Annexe in St.
Pancras Gardens was completed and opened. The history of the site is somewhat
interesting. It is believed that originally it was a cemetery and that many
persons who died of the Plague in the year 1665 were buried there. Certainly
in excavating the site many early coffins were found, and permission had to be
obtained from the Home Office for their removal.
In 1944 the site contained a war damaged coroner's court, an unusable
mortuary keeper's cottage, an out of date mortuary and post mortem room and a
cleansing and disinfecting station which were a conversion of old stables. So
unsatisfactory was the disinfecting and cleansing station that the council
closed it and utilised the war time disinfecting station at Prospect Terrace in
its place. In due course the London County Council required the Prospect Terrace
area for educational purposes and the Council determined to build an-up-to-date
mortuary, and a disinfecting and cleansing station on the Camley Street site.
Considerable argument ensued in that it was considered unwise to have a
cleansing station, mortuary and post-mortem room on the same site. The buildings,
however, are so constructed that the entrances to the two parts are separated
by almost a quarter of a mile. In fact, although these two functions are carried
out on the same site, neither is aware of the other, and the scheme has been a
success. The cost of the building was £72,500, the architect Mr. Thomas Sibthorp.
F.R.I.B.A., and the builders F. & H.F. Higgs Ltd. Many members of the Public
Health Committee and the Council have now visited the premises which have
received unqualified praise. I would assure the Council that this praise is not
limited to St. Pancras, and the building is considered as a model. The Public
Health activities carried out on the site include disinfection, disinfestation,
rodent control, laundry for old persons, the cleansing of adults and children,
the treatment of scabies, and some of the work of S.P.A.C A., in particular the
Chiropody clinic. A flat is provided for the Public Health Inspector in charge.
On the frontispiece of this report will be seen a sketch of the elevation.
In the following pages I include plans of the building and various photographs.
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