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
Willesden 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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Ear, Nose and Throat Department.—G. H. Livingstone, f.r.c.s.— Mr. A. L. Pereira, f.r.c.s., has carried
on the work of this department in the absence of Mr. Livingstone.
HOME NURSING SERVICE.
The Home Nurse employed by the Council nursed 209 cases during 1945, and in connection with such cases
paid 1,048 visits.
Of the 209 cases nursed during 1945, 208 were new cases. 201 of these 208 new cases were referred by the
Health Department for nursing, 3 by private doctors and 4 by hospitals, associations or private persons.
Ophthalmic cases received 289 visits.
SANITARY SECTION.
During the year the Acting Chief Sanitary Inspector and twelve District Sanitary Inspectors were on the
staff.
One District Sanitary Inspector retired on medical grounds; another was seconded for special duties in the
housing section of the Sanitary Inspectors in connection with work of requisitioning empty properties under
Circular 138/1945; and a third was seconded on special work in connection with the billeting of homeless persons.
The number of premises inspected on complaint was 5,660 and the total inspections and reinspections were
30,256. These figures show a considerable increase on the previous year's figures of 2,887 and 18,084 respectively.
Water.—The water supply of Willesden is derived from the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board and
the Colne Valley Water Company. The service is constant and the water of excellent quality.
Table No. 16.
| Inspections, 1945. | |
| No. of premises inspected on complaint | 5,660 |
| No. of premises inspected in connection with infectious diseases | 3 |
| No. of periodical inspections of premises | 3,937 |
| Houses inspected from House-to-House (Housing Act) | — |
| For certificates or reports under Rent Acts | 19 |
| Public House Urinals | 462 |
| Mews and Stables | 190 |
| Miscellaneous | 2,190 |
| Smoke Observations | 311 |
| Ministry of Health Circular 2845 (Inadequately Housed Families) | 2,454 |
| First Inspection of Vacant Property (Requisitioning) | 1,488 |
| Re-inspections | 1,850 |
| Total No. of primary inspections | 18,564 |
| Re-inspections (for all purposes) | 11,692 |
| Total No. of Inspections and Re-inspections | 30,256 |
Table No. 17.
Disinfestation, 1945.
The following table shows the detail of work done during the year in disinfesting dwelling-houses, other
premises and chattels.
Insecticides used included pyrethrum and derris root proprietary preparations.
Bedding materials found to be verminous have been de-infested in the steam disinfector at the Isolation
Hospital.
Other furniture found to be verminous has either been left in rooms under sulphur dioxide or, in bad cases has been treated in hydrogen-cyanide vans by a private firm.
| (a) | |
| No. of applications to rooms in private dwelling-houses (Note : Some rooms treated more than once.) | 408 |
| No. of applications for beetle infestations in canteens, etc. | 20 |
| No. of firewatchers' posts disinfested | 4 |
| No. of street shelters disinfested (bays) | 1,669 |
| No. of verminous rooms cleansed | 298 |
| No. disinfested under Council's Scheme | 97 |
| No. of primary inspections of verminous premises | 419 |
| No. of re-inspections | 516 |
| (c) Disinfestation by H.C.N., carried out by Contractors. | |
| No. of removal disinfestations | 15 |
| No. of premises disinfested by H.C.N. | 15 |
| Disinfestation of bedding at Municipal Hospital (loads) | 61 |