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28
Forty exemptions from the operation of Part XI of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936, were granted.
Regular visits of inspection were made to the nursing homes. The general
standard was reasonably maintained.
There are indications of a lessened use of some nursing homes since 5th July,
1948, for maternity and surgical cases. On the other hand there is an increasing
demand for accommodation for the near-patient type of senile persons of both
sexes.
Arrangements were made for the medical supervision of all types of establishments
under the control of the Welfare Committee, i.e., large homes, mother and
baby homes, rest centres, reception centres for persons without a settled way of
living, lodging houses, small homes for the aged and infirm, homes for the blind
and hostels for persons in employment.
Welfare
establishments
CHEMICAL BRANCH
The work of the branch was carried on during the year at the three laboratories,
at County Hall and the Northern and Southern Outfall Works, and Mr. C. J. Regan,
the Chemist-in-Chief, has submitted the following report:—
The diamond jubilee of the London County Council having been celebrated
during 1949, it is of interest to recall that the use of Chemistry in the service of the
local government of London dates back to at least twenty years before the time of
its formation as successor to the Metropolitan Board of Works. The Chemical
and Gas Department was, in fact, one of its original departments, the duties
at that time being largely concerned with sewage treatment and gas supplies
though other work on general stores was also done. In 1912, the Chemical
Branch became a part of the Public Health Department and the extent to
which its field of operation has widened in the intervening years will be evident
from the subsequent paragraphs. This development has naturally followed from
the ever increasing knowledge derived from scientific research and the consequent
increased application of chemistry to the uses of every day life: for example, in
industry, plastics and synthetic resins were unknown 60 years ago; so also were
vitamins which are so important to health. The amount of consultative, advisory
and committee duties continued to increase in 1949 as did also the ordinary
analytical and testing work. Many of the former duties did not entail the actual
examination of samples, the list of which for 1949 is shown below. The total number
of samples examined was 23,729 compared with 21,400 in 1948.
Air, tunnels, etc. 292
Bacteriological, miscellaneous 38
Building materials 332
Chemicals, drugs and medical supplies 39
Clay, sub-soils and borehole waters,
etc. 554
Compost (manurial use), etc. 14
Detergents 63
Disinfectants 13
Explosives, fireworks, etc. 25
Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs 98
Floor oils and polishes 29
Fuel (coal and coke) 26
Foods, etc. 575
Gases, flue, degreasing and rubber
spreading plants, etc. 189
Gases, sludge digestion plant 269
Insecticides 10
Lamps, gas detector 289
Liquor, effluent from gas works 355
Meals 85
Metals 35
Milk, liquid, condensed, dried 215
Miscellaneous 281
Oils, lubricating, fuel, etc. 73
Paints, varnishes and distempers 1,607
Petroleum and allied samples 125
Rain water (atmospheric pollution) 84
Rubber and substitutes 10
Sewage and effluent 3,782
Sludge, primary and digested 1,938
Sludge, activated 1,290
Sulphur gases and smoke in air 1,824
Water, steam raising plants 2,032
Water, drinking 2,337
Water, river 3,844
Water, swimming bath 855
Water, miscellaneous 102
TOTAL 23,729
(The water samples include both chemical analyses and bacteriological examinations.)