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
City of London 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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SHOPS ACT, 1934.
28 inspections of shops and warehouses have been carried out. Any defects have been remedied
without recourse to legal proceedings. One Notice was issued.
CATERING LICENCES.
Before issuing licences for the establishment of catering businesses, the Local Food Control
Officer refers cases to your Medical Officer of Health in order that licences may only be issued in respect
of premises which are suitable from a public health point of view.
During 1946, 98 premises were inspected and reports forwarded to the Food Controller.
PHARMACY AND POISONS ACT, 1933.
72 firms were registered under this Act, 70 of which were re-registrations. The few infringementa
which were noted were all remedied without difficulty on the request of the Medical Officer of Health.
PHARMACY AND MEDICINES ACT, 1941.
The provisions of the above Act were carried out without recourse to legal proceedings and
without special difficulty.
FERTILIZERS AND FEEDING STUFFS ACT, 1926.
The provisions of the above Act were carried out without recourse to legal proceedings and
without special difficulty.
MERCHANDISE MARKS ACT, 1926.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (GRADING AND MARKING) ACT, 1928-1931.
No difficulty was experienced during the year in regard to the administration of the above Acts.
| Bodies received | 63 |
| Post Mortem Examinations made | 49 |
| Inquest on bodies | 32 |
| Inquests held at Holloway Prison | 2 |
| Inquest on fires | 4 |
| No. of articles disinfected | 109,905 |
| Fees received | £311 |
| Articles of clothing and bedding disinfected | 481 |
| Articles of bedding and clothing destroyed | 22 |
| Rooms disinfected after cases of infectious disease | 24 |
| Lockers at Post Offices disinfected | 209 |
| Verminous rooms disinfected | 30 |
| Ambulances disinfected | 2 |
| No. of scabeous persons bathed | 23 |
| No. of verminous persons bathed | 241 |
| No. of scabeous and verminous articles disinfected | 2,701 |
| No. of children cleansed | 2,624 |
| No. of articles disinfected | 1,871 |
| Pigeons destroyed by Staff | 0 |
| Pigeons destroyed by two private individuals duly authorised by the Corporation | 1,238 |
RAT REPRESSION.
The following report is submitted on the progress of rat repression within the boundaries of
the City for the year ending 31st December, 1946.
The work has been carried out under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, and in compliance
with the general " Direction " issued to all Local Authorities by the Minister of Food in exercise of
his powers by virtue of the Infestation Order, S. R. & O, 680, 1943.
The staff engaged on this work comprised the Rodent Officer and five assistants or operators,
and their main duty was operational. When not so employed they were engaged in surveying defined
areas for the purpose of instituting collective action.
As in the previous years the policy has been to seek the co-operation of occupiers and owners of
property The response has been very satisfactory, and it has not been necessary to serve notices
under the Act.
In all instances of infestation the occupiers were advised of methods proved to be most satisfactory
in clearing or reducing expeditiously an infestation of rats or mice. It was generally realised
that the primary factor was the application and co-ordination of the work, and that to ensure that
the best results would be achieved, the work should be carried out by experienced operators whose
sole concern is the destruction of these pests.
In the case of individual complaint or request for assistance the property adjoining the premises
subject to complaint is inspected and if necessary collective action is taken.