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
Marylebone 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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The total inspections made by each inspector, and the number of nuisances of various kinds detected and remedied, are set out in the following table:—
| Districts. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 | No. 6 | Borough | |
| Houses damp, dirty or dilapidated remedied | 279 | 200 | 532 | 330 | 146 | 107 | 1,594 |
| Doors, windows, floors, ceilings sash cords, etc., repaired | 281 | 241 | 715 | 103 | 155 | 60 | 1,555 |
| Overcrowding abated | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | 6 |
| Illegal occupation of underground rooms dealt with | - | - | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| Water closet defects remedied | 205 | 162 | 335 | 107 | 127 | 90 | 1,026 |
| Water closets erected | — | - | — | 2 | 6 | 22 | 30 |
| Urinal defects remedied | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | — | 4 | 8 |
| Soilpipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed | 6 | 3 | 4 | - | 27 | 1 | 41 |
| Yard defects remedied | 131 | 115 | 141 | 182 | 83 | 49 | 701 |
| Waste pipe defects remedied | 49 | 26 | 46 | 14 | 23 | 14 | 172 |
| Water cistern defects remedied | 27 | 11 | 27 | 21 | 23 | 13 | 122 |
| Rubbish, manure, etc., accumulations removed | 14 | 5 | 66 | 36 | 25 | 21 | 167 |
| Dung or dust receptacles repaired or renewed | 42 | 20 | 42 | 59 | 15 | 11 | 189 |
| Drains relaid or amended | 32 | 7 | 20 | 11 | 29 | 25 | 124 |
| Drains cleared | 9 | 28 | 11 | 3 | 14 | — | 65 |
| Rainwater pipes repaired or renewed | 21 | 14 | 42 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 117 |
| Water supply to houses reinstated | 2 | - | 6 | _ | 2 | 14 | |
| Roofs and gutters repaired | 132 | 108 | 127 | 85 | 22 | 37 | 511 |
| Area defects remedied | 37 | — | 37 | 121 | 68 | 22 | 285 |
| Wash-house defects remedied | 124 | 119 | 257 | 119 | 55 | 34 | 708 |
| Animal nuisances abated | 1 | 2 | 34 | 9 | 4 | — | 50 |
| Basement defects remedied | 9 | — | 8 | 12 | 33 | 4 | 66 |
| Stables cleansed or repaired | 6 | — | 10 | — | — | - | 16 |
| Water supply laid on to upper storeys of house | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| Miscellaneous nuisances abated | 527 | 195 | 12 | 150 | 32 | 13 | 929 |
| Verminous rooms cleansed | 30 | 185 | 263 | 189 | 60 | 28 | 705 |
| Workshops dirty, overcrowded, unventilated or defective, remedied | 12 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 44 | 86 |
Legal Notices in Connection with Nuisances.
No summonses were issued in respect of nuisances during the year.
Rat Repression.
The number of complaints received during the year, viz., 48, was lower by
19 than the 1925 figure. The investigation of these complaints necessitated the
inspection of 54 premises, 23 of which were used for business purposes (6 of
these for the preparation or storage of food), the remaining 31 being private or
tenement houses. In 7 of the cases investigated the infestation was directly
attributable to defects in the drainage system and disappeared immediately these
were remedied. In every instance all advice and assistance was given to the
owner or occupier by Inspector Draper, who continued to act as Rat Officer, and
to obtain excellent results from the methods advocated.