London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Marylebone 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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The services available for the Borough are adequate and the majority of them are administered from
the Divisional Health Office, 313, Harrow Road, W.9.
New Legislation.
A list of the new Acts, Regulations and Orders, relating to the work of the Department, is given in
Table 27, page 39.
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 5, page 32.
Excluding rat and mouse infestations, 1,246 complaints were received and details of 1,071 various
nuisances remedied are shown in Table 6, page 33.
Notices.—Intimation Notices served under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, numbered 394
and 107 of these were followed by the service of Statutory Notices to secure abatement of nuisances.
In addition, seven other formal notices were served for the provision of artificial lighting on common
staircases—as required by the Borough Council's Byelaw. For offences under London County Council
Byelaws, forty-five notices were served, eighteen being in respect of water-closets, nineteen for drainage
defects, and eight requiring proper maintenance of dustbins.
Legal Proceedings.
The institution of legal proceedings under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936
and of the L.C.C. Drainage Byelaws was necessary in two cases, both in respect of 39, Homer Street.
A fine of £5 with five guineas costs was imposed in each instance.
Seventy-nine complaints of noise were received and these concerned 53 alleged nuisances anc necessitated 440 visits by the public health inspectors. A substantial proportion of the complaint; were of noise coming from building sites, demolitions, and engineering works and operations, whicl may be summarised as follows:—
| Pneumatic and other drills | 8 |
| Concrete Mixer | 1 |
| Compressors | 1 |
| Generator | 1 |
| General works | 4 |
A reduction in amenities, sometimes over a long period, is inevitable for people living or working
near works of this type, particularly where rebuilding or demolitions are in a congested area, but
providing contractors are fully aware of the annoyance that can be caused to people nearby and make
a positive effort to reduce noisy operations, inconvenience can be kept to a minimum. It has been
noticeable that pneumatic drills, one of the main sources of noise, are now muffled more frequently,
but the problem of compressors, cranes, hoists and pile-drivers has not yet been generally solved.
The remainder of the supposed causes were as follows, namely:—
| Ventilation and air-conditioning plant | 5 |
| Workshops | 5 |
| Garage | 3 |
| Neighbours | 3 |
| Slamming of car doors, cars starting up at night, coaches | 3 |
| Dogs | 2 |
| Refrigeration plant | 2 |
| Loading and unloading of vans | 2 |
| Club and Restaurant | 2 |
| Boiler house installation | 1 |
| Lift gates | 1 |
| Bakery | 1 |
| Launderette | 1 |
| Diesel Depot | 1 |
| Band practice | 1 |
| Street musicians | 1 |
| Radio and Record player | 2 |
| Recording company | 1 |
| Church Bells | 1 |