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25
The disinfestation of dwelling-houses owned by the Council was undertaken by
the staff of the housing and valuation department. Advice on the latest method of
control was given as the occasion arose. Talks on the most effective measures for
controlling and eliminating pests were given to staff employed in the restaurants and
catering department and at the Council's large welfare homes.
Restaurants
and catering
Over 1,200 visits of inspection were made to school meals centres, dining centres
and kitchens. Nineteen reports of illness following consumption of school meals were
investigated compared with 25 during 1952. In three instances it was confirmed that
illness was due to staphylococcal food poisoning caused by infected dried milk.
Welfare
establishments
Regular inspections, at least once a quarter, were made of 70 homes, hostels and
other premises relating to sanitary conditions.
Complaints
A large number or complaints ot insanitary and overcrowded home conditions
were received from the public. These were referred to the health departments in the
appropriate Metropolitan Boroughs.
Advisory and
research work
Advice was given to stall or other departments within the Council s service on
problems relating to sanitation, drainage and other public health matters in connection
with the preparation of plans for new buildings and for the adaptation of existing
premises.
The plumbing experiments referred to in the Report for 1952 were continued in
association with the architect's department and the Plumbing Research Committee
of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
A number of ' single pipe ' systems of plumbing were installed in some of the
Council's multi-storey dwellings and compared with orthodox methods of plumbing,
the installations effected a saving of £11-£12 per flat.
Representation
on committees
of outside
bodies
The Chief Inspector continued to represent the Council on a number or committees
of the British Standards Institution and is chairman of the three committees and three
sub-committees appointed to consider standards in relation to sanitary appliances,
chemical closets, water closet seats, dustbins, traps and flushing cisterns. He is also a
member of the Plumbing Research Committee of the Building Research Board of the
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Blind and partially-sighted persons
The following figures show the number of persons examined under the National
Assistance Act, 1948, for certification of blindness and the results. The figures do not
include those relating to children of school age, details of which are to be found in the
table on page 103.

* These figures include 7 boys and 6 girls under 5 years of age.