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 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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174
but their provisions were re-enacted in Sections 6 and 7 of the Housing Act, 1925.
The revised by-laws were communicated to the metropolitan borough councils for
their observations, and a conference was held with representatives of those borough
councils which submitted observations. The by-laws were subsequently amended
in certain particulars, and, as amended, were approved by the Council on 17th
November, 1925, and submitted to the Minister of Health for confirmation.
Census of
homeless
persons.
Particulars are given in Chapter I (p. 56) of the result of the census of
homeless persons taken in February, 1925, in order to ascertain the use made of
common lodging-houses, and the provision existing for the accommodation of
persons of the poorest class. The total numbers of homeless persons found in the
streets, on staircases and under arches at the censuses in recent years were:—
1915, 178; 1916, 44; 1917, 28; 1918, 9; 1919, 8; 1920, 51; 1921, 56; 1922,
112; 1923, 141; 1924, 82; and 1925, 118.
Common
lodging
houses.
Particulars with regard to common lodging-houses licensed by the Council are as follows:—
| Year. | Houses licensed. | Lodgers authorised. | 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 |
| 1924 | 174 | 17,519 | nil | nil | nil | 1 |
| 1925 | 168 | 16,930 | 3 | 3 | £8 19s. 6d. | 1 |
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 |
| 1924 | 38 | 1.128 | 4 | 4 | £14 3s. | 2 |
| 1925 | 33 | 1,092 | 7 | 7 | £41 8s. | – |
Under the powers conferred on 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.
Offensive
businesses.
The following table gives particulars of licensed slaughterhouses, knackers yards and registered offensive businesses:—
| Year. | Slaughterhouses. | Knackers' yards. | Offensive businesses. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 158 | 4 | 60 |
| 1922 | 153 | 4 | 60 |
| 1923 | 147 | 4 | 101 |
| 1924 | 136 | 4 | *230 |
| 1925 | 132 | 4 | *209 |
* Inclusive of the businesses of a dresser of furskins and a slaughterer of poultry.
During 1925 sanction was given in three cases to the establishment anew of
the business of a dresser of fur-skins and in one case to the establishment anew of
the business of a slaughterer of poultry. Two applications for sanction to the establishment
anew of the business of a slaughterer of cattle and of a slaughterer of poultry
respectively were refused.
By-laws—
Slaughter of
cattle.
The Council amended its by-law for regulating the method of slaughter of cattle
in the county so as to provide that the by-law should not apply to any person professing
the Mohammedan religion when engaged in the slaughtering of any animals
intended for the food of Mohammedans in accordance with the procedure prescribed
by Moslem law and custom, if no unnecessary suffering is inflicted upon such animal.
The amending by-law was confirmed by the Minister of Health.