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65 [1934
INFIRM PERSONS. LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (GENERAL
POWERS) ACT, 1928.
During the year 12 cases, 3 males and 9 females, were investigated owing to
complaints received. In the case of two of the women the Medical Officer of Health
considered after thorough investigation that the complaints were not entirely justified,
and that the individuals were really capable of looking after themselves. One man
on persuasion voluntarily entered a hospital, and another man was removed to
hospital before action was taken. The third man was removed by our taking action
and obtaining an Order of the Court.
Of the remaining women, two died within a short time of the complaints being
received and looked into ; one on persuasion voluntarily entered an institution,
another removed out of the Borough to the care of relatives, another changed to
better accommodation in the same building, one taken more seriously ill was removed
on medical certificate, and the remaining woman we had removed after action taken
by us and an Order of the Court obtained. It will thus be seen that out of the 12
cases, only 2 were actually taken to Court and removed by order.
SEWER EMANATIONS.
The matter of sewer emanations has been before the Borough Council owing
to continued complaints being received, especially in the summer months, since
1929. The matter was reported on page 60 of the Annual Report of the Medical
Officer of Health for that year, and on page 70 of the Report for 1930. In 1931,
1932 and 1933 the London County Council were reported to be still continuing
experiments to find a feasible method of sewer ventilation. In 1933 the matter
had to be seriously reported on in respect of a manhole opposite Pleasant Place. In
July, 1934, a petition was received signed by 47 persons who complained regarding
this same sewer, the Middle Level Sewer No. 2, in the vicinity of Spencer Street and
Sebbon Street, and the matter was reported to the Public Health Committee in
September, 1934. Since then there has been a real calm as regards this particular
neighbourhood, and no complaints have been received, due to the London County
Council having, in place of ventilating the sewer from the open street manhole,
closed this down and ventilated the sewer in another district of the Borough by
erecting a shaft on the railway bank in the vicinity of Lyon Street. It remains to be
seen whether this experiment in ventilation in this position will be effective and not
merely be transferring the complaints to another neighbourhood.
SCHOOLS.
The medical inspection of school children in this, as a Metropolitan Borough,
comes under the administration of the London County Council. School premises,
however, come under the general sanitary inspection of the department. A school
is defined in the interpretation section (141) of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, thus:—The expression " house " includes schools, also factories and other
buildings in which persons are employed.
There are in Islington 15 private schools, the number of scholars taken varying
from 6 to 83. A number of these take boarders under the age of nine years, and
thus come under our purview as regards Infant Life Protection. Some others,
although under the London County Council inspection as grant receiving schools,
take boarders under nine years of age and are under our inspection for Infant Life
Protection.