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

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Willesden 1924

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]

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Grates, Stoves or Ranges.—Broken, badly set or wanting setting ; ovens, boilers or hot plates
cracked; fire-bars missing.
Drains, including Soil-pipes.—Choked, defective, leaking or not effectually trapped.
Waste-pipes to sinks, Baths or Lavatory Basins.—Choked, defective or untrapped.
Coppers for Domestic Washing.—Absence of, defective or otherwise unusable.
Water Supply.—Absence of, dirty storage cistern.
Water Supply to Watercloset.—Absence of, or inadequate.
Ashpit or other Receptacle for storage of House Refuse.—Absence of, or defective.
Painting of External Woodwork.—Insufficiency of paint to woodwork permitting decay.
If Section 91 were so amended the Council would then have power to compel the keeping
of all houses in their area in a sanitary state of repair.
Houses Let in Lodgings.
It now becomes necessary to consider what special provision is required for houses let in lodgings
or houses occupied by more than one family. The especial provision required for such houses is
provision adequate for the use of and readily accessible to each family of:—
(i.) Closet accommodation.
(ii.) Water supply over a sink with a sink waste-pipe.
(iii.) Washing accommodation.
(iv.) Accommodation for the storage, preparation and cooking of food.
(v.) The adequate lighting of any common staircase in such houses.
Resolutions of Willesden Women Citizen Association.
(i.) Overcrowding.—That both floor space and cubic space be considered in estimating overcrowding.
Section 91 (5) of the Public Health Act, 1875, states:—" Any house or part of a house so
overcrowded as to be dangerous or injurious to the health of the immates, whether or not members of
the same family" shall be deemed to be nuisances liable to be dealt with summarily in manner
provided by this Act.
This definition of overcrowding means that danger or injury to health has to be proved. It
is suggested that the extension of Section 91 should include a definition of overcrowding as follows:—
Overcrowding.—Any room in a dwelling-house occupied at any one time by a greater number
of persons than will allow 400 cubic feet of free air space for each person of an age exceeding
10 years of age and 250 cubic feet for a person of an age not exceeding ten years shall_ be
deemed to be a nuisance.
(Note.—For purposes of calculation of cubic space no height above 12 feet shall
be taken into account.)
(ii.) Waterclosets, water supply and sinks (vide page 9 of this Report).
GEORGE F. BUCHAN.
To be presented to Health Committee
11th March, 1924.
APPENDIX E.
To the Chairman and Members of the Children's Care Committee.
OPEN-AIR DAY SCHOOL.
Suggested use of Dollis Hill House.
I beg to report in accordance with the following minute of the Children's Care Committee
dated 20th February, 1924 :—
" We have had before us the resolution of the Education Committee of 6th February, 1924,
as to the use of the Dollis Hill House and temporary buildings as an Open-Air School. We
have instructed the Medical Officer to prepare a report on the practicability and expenditure
in connection with the suggested use of these premises as an Open-Air School."