London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Marylebone 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]

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12
SWIMMING BATHS.
At the Public Baths, in Marylebone Road, there are four swimming baths,
viz.: large first class, small first class, second class and children's baths.
The water from the two first class baths is dealt with by a filtration plant and
that in the second class and children's baths is treated chemically. Samples, taken
periodically, have, under bacteriological examination in the case of filtered water,
yielded very satisfactory results, thereby showing the undoubted merits of the
filtration system applied to swimming bath water.
THE SHOPS ACT, 1934.
Under this Act, the provisions of which came into operation on the 1st January,
1935, the Sanitary Authority became responsible for the inspection of shops and
warehouses in connection with (1) the provision of suitable and adequate sanitary
accommodation for the workpeople, (2) the provision of proper ventilation, and (3)
the maintenance of reasonable temperature.
During the period under review 368 shops were inspected. In 98 instances
notices were served in respect of contravention of the Act and in all cases the
defects were remedied.
NUISANCES.
In the following summary some idea of the amount of work done in relation
to nuisances is given. For details of other works carried out by the inspectors,
reference must be made to the sections dealing with housing, food, infectious
diseases, etc.
In regard to nuisances, the first point to note is that the total number of
complaints received was 2,473, as against 2,614 in 1934. The majority of these
complaints were made by the inspectors themselves, thought a certain number
came from other members of the Council's staff, from voluntary workers of the
St. Marylebone Health Society, members of the Children's Care Committee, neighbours
and others. In respect of nuisances, 53 statutory notices were issued, the
figure being 65 in 1934.
Of these notices, 32 related to ordinary nuisances (dirt, dampness, etc.), 12 to
verminous rooms, 5 to insufficient w.c. accommodation, 1 to insufficient dustbins,
1 to overcrowding, and 2 to defective drains.
The 12 notices respecting verminous rooms were served under powers granted
by the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1922, and referred to 27
rooms. The number of notices in 1934 was 13.
In 2,420 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 one instance it was necessary to institute legal proceedings
to enforce compliance with the statutory notices.