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 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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118
Common
lodginghouses.
178; 1916,44; 1917,28; 1918,9; 1919,8; 1920,51; 1921,56; 1922,112; and
1923, 141. Further details are given above (see p. 42).
Particulars with regard to common lodging-houses licensed by the Council are as follows :—
| Year. | Houses licensed. | Lodgers authorised. | j Prosecutions. | Convictions. | Penalties and costs. | Cases of infectious disease. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921.. | 181 | 18,503 | 1 | 1 | £3 18s. | 1 |
| 1922.. | 178 | 17,948 | 1 | 1 | £3 | 2 |
| 1923.. | 175 | 17,700 | 5 | 5 | £19 10s. | 2 |
Seamen's
lodging-
houses.
Particulars of seamen's lodging-houses licensed by the Council are as follows :—
| Year. | Houses licensed. | Lodgers authorised. | Prosecutions. | Convictions. | Penalties and costs. | Cases of infectious disease. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 51 | 1,287 | 13 | 11 | £130 10s. 6d. | 1 |
| 1922 | 44 | 1,170 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| 1923 | 36 | 1,089 | 4 | 4 | £40 | 1 |
Offensive
businesses.
In accordance with the powers conferred upon the Council by Part V. of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, the Council has made and
renewed agreements with certain metropolitan borough councils for the cleansing
of verminous inmates of licensed common lodging-houses and their clothing.
The following table gives particulars of licensed slaughterhouses, knackers' yards and registered offensive businesses for 1921-23 :—
| Year. | Slaughterhouses. | Knackers' yards. | Offensive businesses. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 158 | 4 | 60 |
| 1922 | 153 | 4 | 60 |
| 1923 | 147 | 4 | 101 |
During 1923 sanction was given to the enlargement of the business of a fellmonger
and to the establishment anew of the business of a fat melter. Two applications
for the establishment anew of the business of a dresser of fur-skins were received,
one of which was granted and the other refused.
The Council for some time past has considered the conditions under which the
businesses of a fur-skin dresser and a slaughterer of poultry have been conducted,
and after careful investigation decided that in many instances such businesses
constituted a nuisance and a danger to health. Accordingly early in 1920 it made
orders declaring these businesses to be offensive businesses within the meaning of
section 19 (1) (b) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and the Minister of Health
confirmed the orders. The Council has since made by-laws for regulating the conduct
of the businesses in question, and these by-laws have been confirmed by the
Minister of Health.
Under section 9 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908, the
Council on 17th June, 1913, made by-laws with respect to the businesses of (i.) a
vendor of fried fish and a fish curer, and (ii.) a rag and bone dealer. The former
were confirmed by the late Local Government Board and the Home Secretary early
in 1914, but the Board suggested that the latter should be modified especially as
regards the construction of premises used for the business. Owing to the war, consideration
of the question was adjourned until 1920, when the views of the trade
associations interested were invited. As a result some of the proposed by-laws were
amended, and the Council on 19th June, 1923, agreed to the by-laws as revised. In
September, 1923, they were confirmed by the Minister of Health and the Home
Secretary.
During 1923 the Council considered the amendment of its by-laws for regulating
the conduct of the business of a slaughterer of cattle by the incorporation, from the
model by-laws issued by the Minister of Health, of a clause requiring the use of
mechanically operated instruments for slaughter of animals. The Council on 6th
March, 1923, made a by-law in these terms, and it was confirmed by the Minister of