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 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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the borough councils has been submitted to the Housing Committee. This programme
provides for the demolition of 10,131 unfit houses within the County.
Improvement
Grants
Surveys were made in respect of four applications for improvement grants under
section 20 of the Housing Act, 1949, and recommendations as to the suitability of
the properties made to the Director of Housing and Valuer. Three other properties
were surveyed in connection with applications for loans.
Dangerous
structures
During the year 2,874 searches were made in connection with enquiries concerning
properties scheduled as dangerous structures.
| 8ource of sample | Designation | Samples | Percentage positive of completed samples | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Positive | Incomplete | Negative | ||||
| 1951 | 1950 | ||||||
| (a) Supplied to London by road and rail in churns. | Ordinary | 451 | 8 | 23 | 420 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| Accredited | 13 | 1 | — | 12 | * | * | |
| Tuberculin tested | 20 | — | 1 | 19 | — | — | |
| (b) Plant at London depots. | Pasteurised | 14 | — | — | 14 | — | — |
| (c) Residential schools. | Ordinary | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Total | 500 | 9 | 24 | 467 | 1.8 | 2.8 | |
*percentage would be unreliable owing to the few samples taken in 1950 and 1951.
There has been a considerable increase in the amount of tuberculin-tested milk
sent to London.
As a result of investigations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries into
the origin of positive samples in 5 herds, 4 tuberculous cows were removed and
slaughtered under the provisions of the Tuberculosis Order, 1938. One other cow,
removed from one of the herds before investigations were complete, was also found
to be tuberculous.
The source of infection in one other herd was presumed to be two cows disposed
of before investigations into the origin of positive samples were complete. No
sources of infection in two herds could be traced, and investigation is still proceeding
in the case of one other herd.
Sanitary inspection
Disinfestation
Reports of 307 instances of infestation were received from 280 establishments
controlled by the Council, e.g., restaurants, schools, rest centres and parks. Infestation
by rats, mice, cockroaches, bugs, ants, flies, fleas, mosquitoes and moths were
dealt with and 266 of the disinfestations satisfactorily completed by the end of the
year.
The disinfestation of dwelling houses owned by the Council is undertaken by the
staff of the Housing and Valuation Department. Advice on the latest methods of
control is given as occasion arises.
Restaurants
and
Catering
The routine inspection of civic restaurants was discontinued during the year,
the inspection being undertaken by the metropolitan borough councils as part of
their activities under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938.
1,947 visits of inspection were made to school meals centres, dining centres and
kitchens. Nineteen reports of illness following consumption of school meals were
investigated. In no case was contamination of food confirmed bacteriologically.
c