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 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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24
Slum
clearance
In 1949, the Council decided that six unfit areas, on which clearance procedure had
been stopped by the war, should be resurveyed with a view to commencing clearance
action under Part III of the Housing Act, 1936.
Of these priority areas, four were represented to the Council during the period
1949-51, and the remaining two during the year under review. These six areas extended
over approximately 31 acres and contained 1,291 houses.
Reference was made in my report for 1951 to the submission to the Housing Committee
of a detailed draft programme of slum clearance to be undertaken during the
years 1951-55 by both the Council and the metropolitan borough councils. The task
of implementing this programme, which provides for the demolition of 10,131 houses,
was continued during the year, and 23 areas containing 1,187 houses were represented
to the Housing Committee. In addition, preliminary surveys were completed in respect
of a further 24 areas containing 793 houses and 11 blocks of dwellings.
Five public local inquiries were held by the Minister of Health and confirmation of
four of the Council's Orders was received. The result of the remaining inquiry was
awaited at the end of the year. One additional Order was confirmed without the
holding of a public inquiry.
Notifications under section 33 of the Housing Act, 1936, of intention to deal with
542 unfit houses contained in 44 areas were received from 16 borough councils.
Surveys were made of 95 houses contained in four areas, apart from those
mentioned above, in connection with proposals for their acquisition by the Council.
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.
Dangerous
structures
During the year 2,359 searches were made in connection with enquiries concerning
properties scheduled as dangerous structures.
The following are details of the sampling for biological examination of milk coming into London in churns by road and rail and the results of the examinations:
| Source of sample | Designation | Samples | Percentage positive of completed samples | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Positive | Incomplete | Negative | ||||
| 1952 | 1951 | ||||||
| Ordinary | 336 | 8 | 9 | 319 | 2.4 | 1.8 | |
| Accredited | 30 | 3 | – | 27 | * | * | |
| Tuberculin tested | 117 | – | 3 | 114 | – | – | |
| (b) Plant at London depots | Pasteurised | 15 | – | 1 | 14 | – | – |
| (c) Residential schools | Tuberculin tested | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Total | 500 | 11 | 13 | 476 | 2.4 | 1.8 | |
* A percentage would be unreliable owing to the small number of samples taken.
There has been a considerable increase in the amount of tuberculin-tested milk
coming into London.
As a result of investigations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries into the
origin of positive samples in 11 herds, 5 tuberculous cows from five herds were removed
and slaughtered under the provisions of the Tuberculosis Order, 1938. The source of
infection in three other herds was presumed to be cows disposed of before investigations
into the origin of positive samples were complete. No source of infection in one herd