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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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Of these notices, 53 related to ordinary nuisances (dirt, dampness, etc.), 12 to
verminous rooms, 6 to drains, 1 to insufficient w.c. accommodation, 5 to insufficient
dustbins, 3 to underground rooms. There was 1 with regard to rats.
The 12 notices respecting verminous rooms were served under powers granted
by the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1922, and referred to 25
rooms. The number of notices in 1931 was 8.
In 2,517 cases the nuisances were abated by the persons responsible for their
removal after receipt of a preliminary (intimation) notice advising them of the
existence of the defect. In 1 instance there was failure to carry out works after
receipt of statutory notice and legal proceedings were instituted.
Details of this case will be found under the heading "Legal Proceedings in
connection with Nuisances."
The total inspections made for 1932 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 | 119 | 227 | 311 | 152 | 95 | 69 | 973 |
| Doors, windows, floors, ceilings sasli cords, etc., repaired | 182 | 125 | 173 | 79 | 71 | 34 | 664 |
| Overcrowding abated | 1 | – | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Illegal occupation of underground rooms dealt with | – | 2 | 67 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 88 |
| Water closet defects remedied Water closet erected | 113 | 77 | 321 | 77 7 | 74 16 | 52 10 | 714 33 |
| Urinal defects remedied | 2 | – | – | 3 | 6 | – | 11 |
| Soilpipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | – | 17 |
| Yard defects remedied | 44 | 31 | 212 | 67 | 37 | 4 | 395 |
| Waste pipe defects remedied | 33 | 18 | 10 | 9 | 25 | 8 | 98 |
| Water cistern defects remedied | 16 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 46 |
| Rubbish, manure, etc., accumulations removed | 10 | 12 | 71 | 46 | 37 | 11 | 187 |
| Dung or dust receptacles repaired or renewed | 9 | 7 | 72 | 31 | 34 | 6 | 159 |
| Drains relaid or amended | 48 | 18 | 46 | 42 | 16 | 11 | 181 |
| Drains cleared | 1 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 53 |
| Rainwater pipes repaired or renewed | 8 | 12 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 60 |
| Water supply to houses reinstated | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | – | 11 |
| Roofs and gutters repaired | 60 | 55 | 41 | 17 | 27 | 4 | 204 |
| Area defects remedied | 5 | — | 90 | 64 | 20 | 3 | 182 |
| Wash-house defects remedied | 57 | 45 | 173 | 51 | 39 | 1 | 266 |
| Animal nuisances abated | – | – | 5 | 4 | 4 | – | 13 |
| Basement defects remedied | 54 | 10 | 27 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 122 |
| Stables cleansed or repaired | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 7 |
| Water supply laid on to upper storeys of house | 8 | 8 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 23 |
| Miscellaneous nuisances abated | 251 | 20 | 161 | 75 | 39 | 14 | 560 |
| Verminous rooms cleansed | 31 | 50 | 294 | 93 | 58 | 35 | 561 |