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Home Safety.—All our Visitors were urged to be on the look-out for possible dangers and, as a
result, we were able in the course of the year to help in the following ways:—replacing worn
ferrules on sticks; providing fireguards; replacing worn-out floor coverings; having gas meters
moved to accessible positions; helping with the cost of installing electricity in rooms with no
lighting other than lamps or candles; and obtaining reductions in the cost of boot and shoe
repairs. We owe this last facility to the kindness of two local firms of boot repairers who give a
reduction of 2d. in the shilling to Old Age Pensioners vouched for by us.
Staff Medical Examinations.—-The Medical Officer of Health is medical adviser for the purposes of
the Council's superannuation scheme. During 1954, one hundred and three examinations of members
of the staff and new entrants were carried out.
New Legislation.—The following are among the more important Acts, Orders and Regulations affecting
the work of the Public Health Department which came into operation :—
Act, Order or Regulation Appointed Day
L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1954 5.7.54
Slaughterhouse Act, 1954 5.7.54
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954 30.8.54
Slaughter of Animals (Amendment) Act, 1954 1.10.54
Poisons List Order, 1954 1.4.54
Food Standards (Margarine) Order, 1954 12.5.54
Mineral Oil in Food (Amendment) Order, 1954 8.8.54
Food Standards (Soft Drinks) (Amendment) Order, 1954 22.8.54
Poisons List (No. 2) Order, 1954 16.9.54
Poisons Rules (No. 2) Order, 1954 16.9.54
Public Health (Aircraft) (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 12.6.54
Public Health (Ships) (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 12.6.54
Rag Flock and other Filling Materials Regulations, 1954 3.8.54
Rent Restrictions Regulations, 1954 30.8.54
Housing Repairs (Increase of Rent) Regulations, 1954 30.8.54
Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 30.9.54
Milk and Dairies (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 30.9.54
Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Regulations, 1954 1.10.54
Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) (No. 2) Regulations, 1954 1.12.54
Housing (Form of Orders and Notices) (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 17.12.54
Housing (Declaration of Unfitness) Regulations, 1954 17.12.54
Puerperal Pyrexia (Amendment) Regulations, 1954 1,3.55
Poisons Rules, 1954 1.4.54
Rent (Restrictions) Rules, 1954 30.8.54
In addition, the Food and Drugs Amendment Act, 1954 received the Royal Assent on the 25th
November, 1954 but the date from which it becomes operative has not yet been fixed.
SECTION C.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sanitary Inspection.—The number of complaints received (excluding those relating to rat and mouse
infestations) was 1,408. Details of the various nuisances detected and remedied, to the total number of
1,671, are set out in Table 3. In 547 cases a preliminary (intimation) notice was issued, and in 211
instances this was followed by the service of a statutory notice to secure abatement of nuisances.
In addition, fifty-two notices were served under London County Council Bye-laws made under the
Housing, Metropolis Management or Public Health Acts.
Legal proceedings were instituted in twenty-eight cases under the Public Health (London) Act,
1936, in respect of failure to comply with statutory notices. Convictions were obtained in four of
these, with the Court making Orders for the work to be done within a specified time and inflicting fines
totalling £23 and awarding costs amounting to 14 guineas to the Council. The remaining summonses
were either withdrawn or dismissed, the work having been done in the meantime. In respect of these
the Council were awarded a further twenty-nine guineas costs.
Legal proceedings under County Council Bye-laws were taken in five instances. In one of these
the Court made an order for the necessary works to be completed within fifty-six days; two
defendants were discharged on payment of four guineas costs each; and two summonses were
withdrawn because the work had been completed.