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Re-housing—Medical Certificates—Closing Orders.
The Medical Officer of Health receives requests from the Borough Council's Housing Director,
the London County Council and other local authorities for reports and advice on the housing conditions
and, in some cases, the health of persons applying for re-housing. Such enquiries totalled 137; of these,
17 referred only to living conditions and necessitated further investigation by a public health inspector
before the enquirer could be provided with a report to assist in assessing the order of priority of the
various applicants. The 120 confidential medical certificates referred to the Medical Officer of Health
were considered in conjunction with reports from the public health inspectors on environmental
circumstances and, where justified, suggestions were made for additional points. Closing orders were
made on 32 rooms and where the occupiers could not be given alternative accommodation immediately
they received additional points increasing their degree of priority for re-housing. Until they can be
provided with other accommodation the operation of the closing orders remains in abeyance.
Housing Act, 1949—Improvements and Conversions.
Two applications for improvement or conversion grants were referred to the Department for
examination and report.
Land Charges Act, 1925.
The Town Clerk referred 1,305 enquiries to the Department requiring details of any outstanding
notices, orders or other restrictions on the properties concerned.
Immigrants.
The south-east portion of the Borough is contiguous with Soho and, as might be expected, contains
a cosmopolitan population. Immigrants from Cyprus and European countries predominate. So far,
unlike neighbouring boroughs, St. Marylebone has had comparatively little influx of people from
the West Indies.
Common Lodging Houses.
There are two common lodging houses in the Borough. One is run by the Salvation Army, at No.
2, Burne Street and premises in Lisson Street, to accommodate 391 men. The other, conducted by
the Church Army at Portman House, No. 10, Daventry Street, is registered for 85 women.
At the quarterly fire inspections it was found that the fire-fighting equipment provided and the
precautions taken were satisfactory in both lodging houses.
SECTION E.—INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
Food and Drugs Analysis.
The Public Analyst (Mr. Thomas McLachlan, D.C.M., A.C.G.F.C., F.R.I.C., M.I.Biol.) has
submitted the following report on the year's work:—
" During the year 1957, 429 samples of food and drugs were examined. Of these, 94 were taken
formally and 335 informally.
The number adulterated or incorrect in some other manner was 55. The incidence of adulteration
may be classified as follows :—
Number of samples Number of samples
examined adulterated
Milk 98 2
Other foods 314 52
Drugs 17 1
Two samples of milk were reported as adulterated. One contained only 5.77 per cent. of solids
not fat and therefore not less than 32 per cent. of added water, the freezing point —0.317 degrees C.
indicating the presence of 38.3 per cent. of added water. The other contained 7.27 per cent. of solids
not fat, and therefore not less than 14 per cent. of added water, the freezing point —0.438 degrees C.
indicating 14 per cent. of added water.
A complaint was received about an unopened bottle of milk. Whilst the bottle was dirty it had
been sterilised and nothing was found which would have affected the composition of the milk. The
bottle had passed through the washing plant, but the dirt adhering to the glass had not been
removed nor had the bottle been rejected on inspection.