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film strips on the subject of home safety to old people's clubs. In view of the high accident potential
of old people, and bearing in mind that one in five of the Borough's population is over 65, this group
demands special attention.
Whilst making their day-to-day visits members of the inspectorate are watchful for possible accident
hazards in the home and advise accordingly. For example, they sometimes find in homes of the
elderly or handicapped, or where there are young children, that fireguards are not provided and in
such cases the householder is helped to obtain a fireguard at a nominal cost or even free of charge.
Similarly, where gas or electric meters are found to be dangerously sited or inaccessibly high, particularly
in the homes of old people, arrangements are made with the gas or electricity undertaking to
have them placed in safer positions. So far as general information is concerned, leaflets and posters
are displayed in conjunction with health education material in the Department and use is made of
the Central Public Library for presenting leaflets and bookmarks, and of the St. John's Wood Branch
Library for a window display and the distribution of printed material. During the "National Fire
Prevention Week" some 2,500 copies of the "Fire Prevention Code for the Home" were sent to
Borough Council housing tenants and to as many old people as possible with an accompanying letter
offering help in any matter of home safety.
With regard to mothers and young children, the London County Council as a part of their wider
scheme give formal and informal talks on home safety through their infant welfare sessions and take
similar opportunities at mothercraft classes, mothers' clubs and discussion groups. The subject is
also dealt with in the schools and by Health Visitors when going into individual homes.
New Legislation.
A list of the new Acts, Regulations, Orders and Byelaws, relating to the work of the Department,
is given in Table 5, page 34.
SECTION C.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES
Sanitary Inspection.
The Borough is divided into five areas, each of which is dealt with by a District Public Health
Inspector. Inspection of dwelling-houses is summarised in Table 6, page 34.
Excluding rat and mouse infestations, 1,151 complaints were received and details of 730 various
nuisances remedied are shown in Table 7, page 35.
Notices.—Intimation Notices served under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, numbered 219,
and 34 of these were followed by the service of Statutory Notices to secure abatement of nuisances.
In addition thirteen other formal notices were served, as follows: eight in respect of blocked drains,
three requiring the provision of sufficient dustbins and two for the provision of artificial lighting on
common staircases—as required by the Borough Council's Byelaws. For offences under London
County Council Byelaws eleven notices were served, seven being in respect of water-closets, two for
drainage defects and two requiring proper maintenance of dustbins.
Legal Proceedings.
No legal proceedings under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, were necessary.
Noise.
Sixty-five complaints of noise were received and these concerned forty-three alleged nuisances.
Most of the complaints were of noise coming from engineering works and operations on demolition
and building sites, involving the use of pneumatic and electric hammers, pile-drivers, mechanical
excavators and other heavy equipment, particularly late at night and during weekends. The various
contractors against whom complaint was made genuinely appreciated the problem and offered willing
co-operation in seeking and applying noise reduction methods, even though loss of efficiency or time
was caused. The remainder concerned a wide variety of supposed causes, including radio and speech
amplifiers, noise from factories and workshops, noisy neighbours, clubs, road works, garages, dogs, ice
cream vans, ventilating and pumping systems, a public house, a cigarette vending machine, night
baking, a hooter and a diesel locomotive maintenance depot. The complaints were not always well
founded but where justified they were followed up and the offending noise abated or reduced to a
reasonable level. In certain instances where the Council had no legal powers, informal action by the
Public Health Inspectors or the Streets Nuisance Inspector resulted in improved conditions.