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PUBLIC HEALTH
GENERAL
Table 1 lists the number of visits and inspections made during
the year with regard to the Public Health Inspectors' work. The
visits are divided under various sub-headings and the figures for 1959
are given for the purposes of comparison. The total visits in Table I
show an increase of 455 over 1959 totals. The increase is mainly due
to Clean Air Act and Housing Act inspections, while visits under the
heading " Public Health " are considerably less. The reason for the
reduction is enlarged upon in the paragraphs dealing with the various
sub-headings.
NUISANCES AND SANITARY DEFECTS
The number of visits under this sub-section is considerably less
than they were in 1959 being down by approximately 800. The
number of complaints made by the public in 1960 is nearly 100 less
than in 1959. The visits made under this sub-section are those which
are made as a primary inspection following the complaint and subsequent
visits to ensure that the complaint has been remedied. The
number of visits and complaints are, therefore, closely related and
vary directly in relation to one another. Every complaint received,
including anonymous complaints which are minor or frivolous, has
meant at least one visit. In the case of many of the complaints the
Inspector can only give advice but where contraventions of the Public
Health Act, 1936, or other Acts are concerned the necessary notices
for the remedying of the complaint are served on the owner or
occupier, as the case may be.
The number of notices served during the year show a considerable
increase in preliminary notices and a slight increase in statutory
notices. Table II of the report gives the numbers of notices served
both in 1960 and 1959 and the results of the service of those notices.
The relationship between the number of notices and complaints seems
to vary widely year by year and is mainly related to the cause of the
complaint.
Table III which lists the repairs carried out as a result of notices
served on owners shows a slight increase due in the main to the
increase in the number of notices.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND FOOD POISONING
The number of visits made under this heading during the year is
approximately 90 less than in 1959. Table I of the Medical Officer
of Health's report shows the number of cases of Infectious Diseases
occurring during the year and as these visits are normally those made
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