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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Improvement
grants
Surveys were made in respect of three 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 1,985 searches were made in connection with enquiries concerning
properties scheduled as dangerous structures.
Public Health Laboratory
The Medical Research Council Public Health Laboratory at the County Hall was
opened on 1st January, 1953, and during the year increasing use was made of the facilities
available. The close liaison with the Director of the Laboratory which has grown up
has proved of great value. In addition to the bacteriological work carried out for the
central department (e.g. testing of milk samples) the majority of the health divisions
and several establishments in other departments have made use of the services provided.
In addition, considerable use has been made of the laboratory by general practitioners
and by the medical officers of health of the Metropolitan Boroughs and of neighbouring
County Boroughs.
The following are details of the sampling for biological examination of milk coming into London and the results of the examinations :
| Source of sample | Designation | Samples | Percentage positive of completed samples | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Positive | Incomplete | Negative | ||||
| 1953 | 1952 | ||||||
| (a) Supplied to London by road and rail in churns and bottles | Ordinary | 364 | 15 | 338 | 4.1 | 2.4 | |
| Accredited | 64 | 4 | 7 | 53 | * | ||
| Tuberculin tested | 53 | — | — | 53 | — | — | |
| Tuberculin tested (farm bottled).. | 7 | — | — | 7 | — | — | |
| (b) Plant at London depots | Pasteurised | 8 | — | — | 8 | — | — |
| (c) Residential schools | Tuberculin tested | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — |
| Total | 500 | 19 | 18 | 463 | 3.8 | 2.2 | |
* A percentage would be unreliable owing to the small number of samples taken.
As a result of investigations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries into the
origin of positive samples in 12 herds, one of which had been the source of positive
samples on two occasions, five 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. Investigation was still proceeding at the end
of the year in the case of six herds, including one from which a cow had already been
slaughtered. All the raw milk from which positive samples were obtained had been
pasteurised before sale to the public.
Sanitary inspection
Disinflation
Reports of 200 instances of infestation were received from 173 establishments controlled
by the Council, e.g., school meals centres, schools, welfare establishments and parks.
Infestation by rats, mice, cockroaches, bugs, ants, flies, fleas, mosquitoes and clothes
moths were dealt with and 165 of the infestations were satisfactorily remedied by the
end of the year.