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

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London County Council 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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70
In some of the annual reports it is stated that alterations were made in houses and tenements
to bring them into compliance with the requirements which medical officers of health made before they
would grant certificates. In numerous instances certificates were refused. Thus, in Paddington, one
application was refused on account of the very small dimensions of the living rooms and the absence of
suitable or separate scullery accommodation; in Wandsworth a certificate was refused because separate
sanitary arrangements had not been provided for each family; in Bethnal Green the certificate was
refused because only two water-closets were provided for three tenements; and in Greenwich one
application in respect of 14 tenements was refused because there was a lack of proper ventilation
for a room in each tenement which contained a gas stove not provided with any hood or other means
for allowing the escape of the fumes which were found to pervade the various rooms of the tenements.
Another application relating to 30 tenements in Greenwich was refused because of the "totally inadequate
accommodation provided for washing or laundry purposes, such provision being almost of a
dangerous character at the present time, on account of the small floor space, so that the garments of
the person standing at the wash-tub would be very liable to catch fire at the copper provided for boiling
purposes. Some of the bedrooms also appeared to be deficient so far as ventilation was concerned and
very inadequate in size."
The number of premises dealt with under the Acts is shown in some of the annual reports,
and the information contained therein is stated in tabular form as follows. The proceedings in Hammersmith,
which include the granting of certificates for various premises after they had been put into
proper condition, do not lend themselves to the form of tabular statement adopted.

Revenue Acts.

Sanitary District.No. of houses for which applications were received during year.No. of tenements comprised therein.No. of Tenements for which certificates were granted.Certificates were refused.Certificates were deferred.
Paddington2041
Fulham9448730446137
Chelsea13190112..
Westminster, City of296034621545
Hampstead20168102
Jslington31290176114-
Hackney181181
Holborn861456648
Bethnal Green1863-5112
Poplar7206206
Bermondsey227
Lambeth14149433811937
Battersea232214244--
Wandsworth7541,12096218140
Camberwell24741658-
Deptford39595--
Greenwich44-44-
Lewisham81175175-

Underground Rooms.
It is specifically stated in the annual reports relating to Paddington, Fulham, Deptford,Wandsworth
and Camberwell, that no underground rooms were dealt with during the year. In Kensington,
in a number of instances the occupation of such rooms was discontinued after notice.

The number of proceedings in some other districts is shown in the following table :-

Sanitary District.No. of underground rooms illegally occupiedSanitary District.No. of underground rooms illegally occupied.
Dealt with.Occupation discontinued.Dealt with.Occupation discontinued.
Chelsea22Shoreditch7-
Westminster, City of2626Bethnal Green66
Hampstead-9Stepney107107
St. Pancras60-Lambeth2626
Islington6757Battersea55
Hackney44Greenwich-2
Holborn1311Woolwich63
Finsbury203