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
Paddington 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington]
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45
Housing Acts: Rent Books.—During 1924 seven (7) Rent Books in the possession of tenants of
various premises in the borough were found by the staff to be without the particulars required, and
during 1925 two (2) similar offences were reported. In every case a cautionary letter was addressed
to the landlord.
Sanitary Defects Remedied in Tenement Houses.
| 1921. | 1922. | 1923. | 1924. | 1925. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drain defective | 3 | 3 | 25 | 4 | 15 |
| ,, choked | 24 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 14 |
| ,, unventilated or improperly ventilated | 9 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Manhole cover defective | 22 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Gulley choked | 12 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 23 |
| Ventilating pipe improperly constructed | 1 | 1 | — | 16 | 20 |
| Soil pipe defective | — | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Water-closet choked | 50 | 33 | 27 | 18 | 38 |
| „ defective | 272 | 271 | 130 | 82 | 59 |
| „ insufficiently flushed | 13 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 21 |
| „ flushing apparatus defective | 76 | 78 | 48 | 44 | 65 |
| „ without water supply | 32 | 29 | 12 | 18 | 16 |
| ,, foul | 41 | 45 | 55 | 46 | 40 |
| „ accommodation insufficient | 2 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| ,, without door | 1 | — | — | 157 | 44 |
| ,, without external light or ventilation | — | 1 | 3 | — | 1 |
| Rainwater pipe not disconnected from drain or soil pipe | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| ,, ,, defective | 55 | 50 | 34 | 27 | 74 |
| „ ,, choked | 5 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 21 |
| Wastepipe defective | 21 | 21 | 22 | 13 | 40 |
| ,, choked | 7 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
| ,, not provided | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 |
| Other drainage defects | 10 | 34 | 10 | 18 | 51 |
| Cistern defective | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| ,, dirty | 17 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 14 |
| , without proper cover | 12 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| ,, cover defective | 23 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 4 |
| Dustbin defective | 228 | 147 | 86 | 90 | 91 |
| ,, not provided | 36 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 18 |
| „ insufficient | 5 | 31 | 15 | 16 | 46 |
| ,, disused and not abolished | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Paving defective in area or yard | 192 | 220 | 113 | 93 | 114 |
| ,, „ washhouse | 138 | 110 | 77 | 89 | 99 |
| Guttering defective | 39 | 50 | 12 | 30 | 47 |
| Premises damp | 41 | 62 | 53 | 31 | 31 |
| Rooms, etc., dirty | 3,275 | 1,638 | 3,202 | 3,546 | 2,809 |
| ,, verminous | 344 | 204 | 162 | 201 | 97 |
| Roof defective | 251 | 387 | 272 | 256 | 214 |
| Accumulation of refuse | 5 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 19 |
| Animals improperly kept | 32 | 16 | 10 | 31 | 9 |
| Water supply to premises insufficient | 5 | 18 | 10 | 9 | — |
| Other defects or nuisances | 957 | 1,531 | 2,494 | 1,438 | 1,103 |
| Overcrowding. | |||||
| Tenements overcrowded | 2 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 9 |
| Rooms overcrowded | 2 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 9 |
| Occupants, total | 12 | 43 | 24 | 93 | 53 |
| Under 10 | 7 | 23 | 11 | 41 | 28 |
| 10 and upwards | 5 | 20 | 13 | 52 | 25 |
| Overcrowding abated— | |||||
| By re-arrangement | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| By voluntary removal | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Under notice | 1 | 5 | 3 | 10 | — |
| Cases held over | 11 | 3 | 8 | ||
| Notices Issued. | |||||
| Written Intimations | 518 | 735 | 553 | 659 | 605 |
| Statutory Notices | 142 | 240 | 154 | 162 | 178 |
| Bye-law „ | 2,369 | 2,309 | 1,771 | 1,972 | 1,718 |
| Notices under L.C.C. (G.P.) Acts— | |||||
| Verminous rooms | 204 | 244 | 125 | 162 | 134 |
| Additional taps | 4 | 18 | 8 | 9 | _ |
| Abolition of old dustbins | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
* This case resulted in a summons, which was adjourned five times, finally sine die.