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London County Council.
Report of the Public Health Committee, submitting the report of
the Medical Officer of Health of the County of London for
the year 1906.
In submitting the report of the Medical Officer of Health of the County of London, we are
glad once again to be able to state that the death rate (15.1), which was equal to that of the previous
year, was the lowest on record. As we pointed out last year, the death rate has fallen nearly 30
per cent. since the coming into operation of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and, if comparison
be made between the years 1905 and 1906, on the one hand, and the decennial period 1891-1900, on
the other, it will be found that, as the result of the diminished death rate there has been an estimated
gain to the community in each of the two recent years of some 19,000 lives, and this represents a
gain in " life capital " of some three-quarters of a million years of life. The infant mortality rate
was very slightly in excess of that of the previous year. In correspondence with the less favourable
meteorological conditions of 1906, the deaths attributable to epidemic diarrhoea and infective enteritis
were about one-third higher than in the preceding year.
Epidemic diseases.—The death-rate from the principal epidemic diseases was slightly higher—
193 per 1,000 persons living—than in the year 1905. Only 31 cases of smallpox were notified.
Measles, however, showed a slight increase, as did also scarlet fever and diphtheria. In the case of
the two last named diseases, particulars concerning the spread of infection in connection with school
attendance are given by the Medical Officer. Enteric fever was again at a low ebb in London. The
Medical Officer gives account of attacks following the consumption of particular articles of food, and
refers to the fact that infection from person to person is frequently mentioned as a cause of the
disease.
The subject of the control of pulmonary phthisis is discussed by the Medical Officer at some
length, especially in relation to the desire which is not infrequently expressed that cases of this
disease shall be dealt with much in the same way as cases of dangerous infectious diseases. The
Medical Officer further refers to the conclusions of the Royal Commission on tuberculosis, with
reference to the question of the amount of risk to man of bovine tuberculosis, and, in this connection,
we are able to report that we have now under consideration the question of the administration
of the powers conferred upon the Council by the General Powers Act of last session.
Removal of refuse.—The need for the more systematic control of the removal of offensive trade
refuse has been before us for many years past, and we hope, as the Council is aware, to obtain further
power with regard to this matter. The hot summer brought prominently to our notice the subject of
fly nuisance, particularly in certain localities in which large accumulations of house refuse were
collected in course of removal from London. This subject is receiving our further attention.
Houses let in lodgings.—The revision of the by-laws regulating houses let in lodgings, which
was made necessary owing to decisions of the High Court on 3rd February, 1904, has now been,
for the most part, accomplished, and, with few exceptions, the Borough Councils are now in a position
to carry on the important work of requiring that houses occupied by a number of families shall be
maintained in a proper state of cleanliness and sanitation, under codes of by-laws which have recently
received the Local Government Board's sanction. A report on the water supply to the upper floors
of tenement houses appears as an appendix to this report. The necessary powers for improving the
water supply in houses used as tenement houses were given in the past session of Parliament.
A report on " block dwellings " also appears as an appendix to this report.
Common lodging-houses.—The report contains statistics as to mortality rates at different ages
and from various causes of death among common lodging-house inmates.
Inspection of food.—The Medical Officer refers to the need of ensuring greater efficiency of the
supervision over London food supplies, and to the desirableness of establishing a system of inspection