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
Orpington 1943
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Orpington]
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| Number of houses connected to the sewers. | No. of houses not connected to sewers. | No. of houses not provided with a piped water supply. | No. of wells still in use for purpose of domestic supply. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12814 | 3017 | 393 | 6 |
| W.C.'s | Pan or Pail Closets. | Midden Privies. | Ashpits separate from Midden Privies. | Cesspools. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of | No. of houses into. | ||||
| 15492 | 294 | 13 | — | 2285 | 2700 |
WATER SUPPLY.
The mains of the Metropolitan Water Board supply the
greater portion of the District. In some outlying parts,
however, water is. obtained from deep wells and from rain
water collected from the roofs of houses and stored in tanks.
There were no extensions to the mains during the year.
During the year 48 bacteriological and 33 chemical
examinations of the water were made.
All the bacteriological specimens proved to be good
waters, and the chemical specimens were as follows:—
Fair quality 18
Good quality 2
Excellent quality 1
Unsatisfactory 1
Poor Quality 4
Bad quality 4
Inferior quality 3
PUBLIC CLEANSING.
The collection of house refuse throughout the District
is carried out by direct labour.
Owing to the shortage of labour, the removal of refuse
during the year has presented considerable difficulty, but
although collections have not been carried out at pre-war frequency,
the service throughout the District has been maintained.