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

London County Council 1910

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

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81
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.

Table: The following table shows the extent to which the powers referred to have been appliedduring 1910:—

The following table shows the extent to which the powers referred to have been applied

during 1910:—

Metropolitan borough.No. of premises caused to bo supplied.No. of legal proceedings.
Battersea126-
Bermondsey41-
Bethnal Green6-
Chelsea2-
Deptford2-
Finsbury1181
Fulham55-
Greenwich3-
Hackney5-
Hammersmith16-
Hampstead99-
Holborn80(a)-
Islington4172
Lambeth45-
Paddington4-
St. Marylebone2154
Shoreditch171
Southwark25112
Stepney40-
Wandsworth6-
Westminster, City of1,0496
Woolwich3-

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The effect of the administration of these powers is mentioned by Dr. McCleary in his report
relating to Hampstead. He states that: "This Act has led to a considerable improvement. The
number of houses dealt with in Hampstead during the last three years is as follows—1908, 24; 1909,
85; 1910, 99. In each house a watertap and a glazed earthenware sink were provided on each floor.
These alterations have been greatly appreciated by the tenants and have had a beneficial effect in improving
the general sanitary conditions of the houses."
Section 20 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904, empowers sanitary authorities
to require the cleansing of rooms and their contents from vermin, and in default to do such cleansing
themselves. Under these powers a large number of rooms and articles have been cleansed during 1910,
and in a few instances prosecutions were instituted and penalties obtained for non-compliance with
the order of the sanitarv authorities.
Houses
infested with
vermin.

Table: The following table has been compiled mainly from information on this subject contained in the annual reports of medical officers of health:—

The following table has been compiled mainly from information on this subject contained in the annual reports of medical officers of health:—

Metropolitan borough.Number of rooms or premises cleansed.Metropolitan borough.Number of rooms or premises cleansed.
Bermondsey349 rooms.Lambeth207 houses & clothing.
Bethnal Green397 rooms.
Camberwell40 premises.Paddington189 premises.
Chelsea217 rooms.Poplar216 rooms.
Deptford20 rooms.St. Marylebone103 rooms.
Finsbury142 premises.St. Pancras189 rooms.
Fulham28 rooms.Shoreditch197 premises.
Greenwich5 premises.Southwark2,842 rooms.
Hackney191 premises.Stepney1,742 rooms.
Hammersmith43 premises.Stoke Newington35 rooms.
Hampstead22 rooms.Wandsworth277 premises.
Holborn69 premises.Westminster, City of249 rooms.
Islington188 premises.Woolwich143 rooms.
Kensington245 premises.

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Medical officers of health are informed by the Council of children found in the schools to be
infested with vermin, and are requested to cause the homes to be dealt with under the Council's General
Towers Act. Dr. Bryett supplies in his annual report the results of visits in Shoreditch in 260
instances to which his attention was so called, in which the conditions observed were specially noted—
(a) Number of notices served. It is stated that in the majority of instances the work was completed during
the year.