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219
Public Health.
the conclusions arrived at by the Royal Commission appointed in inquire into the relations of human
and animal tuberculosis. Reference to the final report of the Commission is made in the last annual
report of the Council.* Having regard to the fact that the Council had been repeatedly unsuccessful
in its attempts to obtain further powers to deal with the milk supply of London and that urgent necessity
for action was manifest, the Council decided to appoint a deputation to wait upon the President of
the Local Government Board to urge—
(i) The promotion of general legislation to provide—
(i.) For the extension of provisions such as those contained in part IV. of the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, with respect to cows suffering from tuberculous
disease of the udder, and to the milk from such cows, to any cow suffering from any form of
tuberculosis with emaciation, or giving tuberculous milk, and to the milk from any such cow.
(ii.) Further powers throughout the country for the supervision of places where cows are
kept and where milk is received, stored and exposed for sale.
(iii.) Such further powers throughout the country as are necessary for the taking of the
samples in any place from the time the milk leaves the cow until such time as it reaches the
consumer.
(iv.) Adequate penalties to deter from wilful breaches of the law.
(v.) For the more complete supervision throughout the country of the import trade.
(2.) Failing general legislation, the promotion of special legislation to provide—
(i.) Power for the Council to extend the provisions contained in part IV. of the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, with respect to cows suffering from tuberculous
disease of the udder, and to the milk from such cows, to any cow suffering from any form of
tuberculosis with emaciation, or giving tuberculous milk, and to the milk from any such cow.
(ii.) Any necessary additional powers to take samples anywhere within the county of milk
and of milk products in transit and in wholesale or retail establishments; and in the event of
such milk being found to be adulterated or to contain any matter unwholesome or unfit for
human consumption, to proceed for penalties.
(iii.) Powers for the Council to make orders prohibiting the supply of milk into the county
from the dairies or depots without the county from which such impure milk was obtained.
(iv.) Such additional powers (if any) as are necessary to enable sanitary authorities to
take samples, other than on railway premises, and to proceed for penalties as in (ii.).
(v.) Additional powers to enable the Council, at its discretion, to pay the expenses of any
dairyman appearing before it to show cause why an order should not be made requiring him
not to supply milk from specified animals.
(vi.) For the application within the county of section 53 of the Public Health Acts
(Amendment) Act, 1907.
The President of the Local Government Board received the deputation on 22nd November,
1912, and stated that he was in general agreement with the Council in the matter. He added that
he proposed to introduce immediately and hoped to carry through in that session of Parliament, a Bill
to deal with the subiect.
Uommon
lodging
houses.
Seamen's
lodging
houses.
Applications were received for licences to keep and use, as common lodging-houses, 296
premises in the County of London, and in each case a licence was granted. During the year 5 licensed
keepers were fined £6 5s. with £2 costs for having infringed the Council's by-laws.
During the year licences to keep seamen's lodging-houses were granted in respect of 41
premises. Legal proceedings were instituted in 18 instances for keeping unlicensed seamen's lodginghouses.
In 13 cases a conviction followed and fines amounting to £65 6s. with £16 9s. costs, were
imposed.
Nuisances.
During the year a number of complaints were made to the Council under the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, as to insanitary conditions or failures in sanitary administration.
The practice adopted is, in the case of signed complaints, to forward the complaint to the sanitary
authority and to take no further action unless the complainant appeals again to the Council. In the
case of anonymous complaints, the purport of the complaint is sent to the medical officer of the district,
and, unless an intimation is received that action has been taken, an inspection is subsequently made,
and. if then found necessary, a further communication is sent to the sanitary authority concerned.
Offensive
businesses.
In pursuance of the authority conferred upon the Council by section 19 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, in 2 cases certain premises were removed from the register, as the right to carry
on (1) tripe boiling, and (2) soap boiling and tallow melting thereat had lapsed.
The number of slaughterhouses, cowhouses and knackers' yards licensed during the year was
234 slaughterhouses, 180 cowhouses, and 4 knackers' yards. There were two appeals against the
decision of the Committee not to grant renewal of licences in respect of slaughterhouses. In one case
the Committee's decision was confirmed and in the other the appeal was allowed.
Draft by-laws relating to the businesses of a fried fish vendor, fish curer and rag and bone
dealer have been approved provisionally by the Local Government Board, and the observations of
the Secretary of State for the Home Department are now awaited.
All the above services are administered under the direction of the Public Health Committee.
* Annual Report of the London County Council, 1911. Vol. III. (p. 173).
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