London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Marylebone 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
7
Rats and Mice.—Under the Ministers of the Crown (Minister of Food) Order, 1942 (Statutory Rules and Orders,
No. 807) dated 30th April, 1942, the functions of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries under the Rats and Mice
(Destruction) Act, 1919, as amended by the Ministry of Health (Rats and Mice Destruction, Transfer of Powers) Order,
1922, except so far as they are exercisable in rural districts, were transferred, to the Minister of Food. The following
is a summary of the work done during 1942 : 144 complaints were received and 75 food and 264 other premises were
found to be infested. Of the 75 food premises, 54 were shops and 21 hotels and restaurants ; the 264 other premises
included 167 dwelling houses, 39 shops, 58 stores, warehouses and factories., Ratproofing was carried out in 137
premises. The chief methods employed for the extermination of rats were poison baiting and trapping. The
main sources of infestation were sewers and drains damaged as a result of enemy action, and bombed sites with their
collections of debris. Preventive measures taken in this connection included the inspection of 497 premises and the
sealing off of 345 sewer connections.
Sanitary Inspection.—The total number of complaints received was 996 as against 933 in 1941. Details of the
various nuisances detected and remedied, to the total number of 977, are set out in Table 4. In 145 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. Statutory notices were issued in 17 instances, and referred to such matters as
dirt, dampness, verminous rooms, unsatisfactory water-closet accommodation, inadequate water supply, defective
drains, and to other defects and conditions. In no case was it necessary to institute legal proceedings.
TABLE 4.- Nuisances Detected and Remedied.
| Nature of Nuisance. | Districts. | The Borough. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 3. | No. 4. | No. 5. | No. 6. | ||
| Houses damp, dirty or dilapidated remedied | 7 | 37 | 72 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 162 |
| Doors, windows, floors, ceilings, sash cords, grates and flues, | |||||||
| etc., repaired | 5 | 12 | 18 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 70 |
| Verminous dwellings disinfested | 1 | 4 | 24 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 56 |
| Dirty and verminous furniture and bedding cleansed | - | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| Overcrowding abated. | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Underground rooms (illegal occupation) dealt witji- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Water closet defects remedied | 1 | 21 | 55 | 13 | 10 | 18 | 118 |
| Insufficient and unsuitable water closet accommodation r=emedied | 7 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 33 | ||
| Urinal defects remedied | 1 | - | 3 | - | - | 2 | 6 |
| Drain and water closet stoppages cleared ... | - | 15 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 60 |
| Drains relaid or amended | 2 | 7 | 2 | 8 | - | 4 | 23 |
| Soilpipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed | - | 8 | 3 | - | - | 1 | 12 |
| Waste pipe defects remedied... | - | 10 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 30 |
| Yard defects remedied | - | - | 14 | 6 | - | 4 | 24 |
| Wash -house defects remedied | - | 5 | 12 | 1 | - | - | 18 |
| Area defects remedied | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 4 | 7 |
| Basement defects remedied ... | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Roofs and gutters repaired | 13 | 21 | 38 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 103 |
| Water supply to houses reinstated | 1 | 7 | 7 | 5 | - | 1 | 21 |
| Water supply laid on to upper storeys | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Water cistern defects remedied | - | 2 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Dung or dust receptacles repaired or renewed | 1 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 24 |
| Rubbish, manure, etc., accumulations removed ... | - | 15 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 81 |
| Animal nuisances abated | - | - | 5 | - | - | 4 | 9 |
| Rat and mouse infestations dealt with | 2 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 20 | 10 | 62 |
| Bakehouses cleansed | - | ||||||
| Smoke nuisances abated | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Shops-sanitary defects remedied | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 26 | |
Mosquitoes.—Complaints regarding the breeding of mosquitoes in emergency water tanks were fewer in number
than in 1941. Regular inspections were continued and, with the co-operation of the fire fighting authorities, systematic
preventive measures were adopted.
Pigeons.—Fifteen complaints of nuisance from these birds (eight relating to churches, five to private dwellings and
two to public buildings) were dealt with. A contractor was employed, with satisfactory results, to reduce the pigeon
population in serious cases.
Noise.—During the year 8 complaints of noise were received, three relating to wireless loudspeakers, gramophones and
similar instruments, two to machinery, one to tenants of a flat, one to licensed premises, and one to water fittings.
The issue of a notice was necessary to obtain a remedy of nuisance caused by a wireless loudspeaker.
Poisons.—Traders whose names were on the Council's list of persons entitled to sell poisons included in Part II of
the Poisons List (Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1852 to 1941) numbered 85.
Factories.—The number of registered factories was 1,306. Frequent inspections were carried out, and conditions
were remedied in 27 instances (want of cleanliness 3 ; insufficient or unsuitable sanitary conveniences 17 ; other
defects 10). Outworkers lists were received from 66 employers relating to 305 contractors and 410 workpeople.
Civil Defence.—Miscellaneous visits by the sanitary inspectors in connection with civil defence activities not
referred to elsewhere in this report numbered 368 and included visits relating to arrangements for the gas cleansing
of business personnel.