London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Leyton 1945

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]

This page requires JavaScript

22
public, but apparently without avail. The conditions under
which our City workers earn their living are often far from
ideal as regards light, ventilation, noise, overcrowding, etc.
Although Health Authorities and the Home Office possess
statutory powers for controlling the conditions of work in
factories and workshops, no such powers exist for the protection
of the great body of clerical workers, etc., in the offices
of the City. 'The tired City-worker' is an expression in
everyday use, and there can be little doubt that the conditions
of work in the City—coupled with the nervous strain associated
with journeys to and from work—play a considerable
part in the production of that 'tired' feeling. All City
workers may not return from work bodily tired, but all tired
City workers return with diminished bodily resistance
against infection; and it is in this state of impaired resistance
that they are compelled to run the gauntlet of massive doses
of infection in dirty, stuffy and overcrowded railway compartments."
Not only has there been no improvement since that time, but there
has been a marked deterioration in the appalling conditions under
which Leyton residents have had to travel to and from London
during and since the war. I have always considered that overcrowded
public transport vehicles were the most fruitful source of
respiratory infection; and, until such time as travelling conditions
are rendered less dangerous, there is much to be said in favour of
the continuation of the war-time poster "Is your journey really
necessary?"
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
Number of bodies deposited, death being due to:—
Natural causes 57
Suicide 3
Street accidents 1
Other accidents 3
Drowning 1
Murder 1
66
Number of Post-mortem examinations performed 66
umber of Inquests held 9