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7
SECTION G.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Water.—Apart from water obtained for domestic purposes from private wells at three laige blocks of flats, a constant
supply throughout the Borough is provided through the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board, and no complaint
as to insufficiency or quality was received during the year. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, the Board notified 20 instances where w ater had been cut off in occupied premises for non-payment
of rate; in all cases the supply was reinstated, in four instances after service of an intimation notice. Private well
waters were examined periodically by the Public Analyst and the Council's Bacteriologist with satisfactory results.
Drainage.—The number of plans approved was 93, all relating to old buildings.
Combined Drainage.—One order under seal for combined drainage was issued.
Public Conveniences.—The usual supervision was exercised over the 15 public sanitary conveniences (11 for men,
4 for women). As from the 1st February, 1945, the charge for a wash and brush-up was increased from 2d. to 3d.,
except in the case of the Salisbury Street conveniences.
Public Cleansing and Salvage.—Amounts dealt with: house and trade refuse, 28,197§ tons; street sweepings and
gullev slop, 2,31 If tons; salvaged materials, 3,145 tons, including 2,249½ tons of kitchen waste for pig and poultry
feeding collected from 550 bins placed at intervals in the streets for the reception of this material. A sum of
£7,588 17s. 7d. was obtained from the sale of salvaged materials. In addition, £428 Is. 6d. was received for the removal
of trade refuse, green offal, and the cleansing of petrol interceptors.
Shops.—Inspections undei the Shops Act, 1934, numbered 437- In 24 instances service of notice was necessary.
Diseased or Infirm Persons.—Twenty-three of these difficult and often distressing cases were dealt with during the
year, including 7 old cases which required continued observation. In one instance it was necessary to make application
to Court with a view to obtaining an Order, under Section 224 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for the
removal of an infirm person to hospital. Before the hearing of the case took place, however, the woman was found to
be seriously ill and was immediately removed to hospital where she died the same day. A post-mortem examination
revealed that death was due to natural causes.
Bed Bugs.—Sixty-two dwellings where bugs were found were disinfested. No instance of verminous conditions in
municipal flats was reported. Verminous furniture belonging to 25 families was treated by the hydrogen cyanide
process. The mobile hot-air disinfestor continued in use, and 1,776 bundles of bedding from air-raid shelters and
43,297 blankets from hostels were dealt with. A public shelter near the centre of the Borough was adapted as a cyanide
chamber, and 1,000 bunks were disinfested before sale to the public.
Verminous Persons.—The numbers of adults and school children using the Cleansing Station were 701 (569 men,
132 women) and 1,361 (391 boys, 970 girls) respectively.
Rats and Mice.—Complaints received numbered 683, and 81 food and 391 other premises were found to be infested.
Of the 81 food premises, 47 were shops and 34 hotels and restaurants; the 391 other premises included 212 dwelling
houses, 63 shops, 53 warehouses and stores, 26 factories, 2 hospitals and institutions, and 26 offices. Ratproofing was
carried out at all infested premises. The chief methods employed for the extermination of rats were poison baiting and
trapping. Among the sources of infestation were sewers and drains damaged as a result of enemy action, and bombed
sites.
In order to bring about a closer relation between income and expenditure it was found necessary, as from the
2nd July, 1945, to increase by 100 per cent, the charges to occupiers of residential properties and business premises
for services rendered by the Council's rat catchers, previously fixed at 2/6d. and 5/- per treatment respectively.
Advantage of the scheme was taken in 429 cases, in two of which, on the ground of inability to pay, the
charges against the occupiers of tenement dwellings were waived. The two rat catchers made 6,988 visits in connection
with this service.
Dog Nuisance.—Contravention of the bye-law relating to the fouling of footwa ys by dogs was reported by police
officers in six cases, in all of which, following prosecution, convictions were secured and penalties imposed. The total
number of prosecutions since the bye-law came into operation in 1928 is 310, the amount of fines imposed being
£116 8s. 6d.
The temporary streets nuisance inspector, whose work was largely connected with the administration of the
bye-law, and who was recalled to the Police Force during the war, returned to his duties with the Council on the
3rd December, 1945.
Mosquitoes.—Five complaints of mosquitoes were received. The nuisances were traced to breeding in emergency
water tanks, dustbins and a defective water supply, and appropriate treatment proved effective.
Pigeons.—Nuisance from these birds was the subject of five complaints—three relating to churches, one to a block of
flats, and one to mews premises. All complaints were dealt with satisfactorily and a contractor was employed to
reduce the number of pigeons in serious cases.
Noise.—Eight complaints of noise were received. Two were concerned with wireless loudspeakers, two with tenants
of a flat, and one each with a dog, a club orchestra, a public house, and machinery.
Smoke.—Eighteen complaints of nuisance from smoke were received. These related mainly to commercial premises
and large blocks of flats, and it was found that in most instance s unsuitable fuel was the cause of the nuisance. Abatement
was secured in all cases as a result of informal action.
Poisons.—The names of 74 traders 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), the premises concerned numbering 84.
Factories.—The number of registered factories was 1,280. Frequent inspections were carried out, and conditions
were remedied in 32 instances (want of cleanliness 12; insufficient or unsuitable sanitary conveniences 13; other
defects 7). Outworkers lists were received from 73 employers in respect of 282 contractors and 511 workpeople.