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
Barnet 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnet]
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the Borough present problems, both in respect of unsatisfactory conditions created by their business
activities and socially by reason of their totally substandard existence, affecting particularly the
needs of the elderly and the very young.
Local authorities have been enjoined to consider the need to provide suitable caravan sites so
that the worst aspects attributable to a nomadic existence can be corrected with the long term view
of assimilating such families into the community at large. There are many problems to be faced,
but I would support full participation in any concerted effort to provide a proper environment for
gipsy and other itinerant families.
INSPECTIONS AND COMPLAINTS
Some 7881 complaints and requests for services were investigated and, where possible, defects
or unsatisfactory conditions were remedied.
The following table shows the nature and number of inspections made to ensure that people live and work in healthy surroundings, and that food is manufactured or prepared under hygienic conditions and sold in premises properly equipped.
| 8,096 | 10,504 | |
| Multiple Occupation | 1,552 | |
| Rent Act | 29 | |
| Overcrowding | 47 | |
| Other housing visits | 780 | |
| 371 | 21,476 | |
| Surveys, proposals and claims | 15,639 | |
| Other clean air visits | 5,466 | |
| 279 | 4,284 | |
| Butchers | 260 | |
| Dairies and Milk Shops | 88 | |
| Grocers | 301 | |
| Ice Cream | 166 | |
| Restaurants, Cafes | 767 | |
| School Meals Kitchens and Canteens | 150 | |
| Stalls | 190 | |
| Unsound Food | 665 | |
| Other food premises visits | 1,418 | |
| 41 | 485 | |
| Powered | 286 | |
| Sites | 12 | |
| Outworkers | 146 |