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
Shoreditch 1898
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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37
prepared by the sanitary inspectors of the work executed for the removal of
insanitary conditions during the year 1898 :—
TABLE XXIV.
| Chief Inspt'r. | Insp. Lear. | Insp. Quelch. | Insp. Firth. | Insp. Jordan. | Insp. Lindon | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New drains constructed | 8 | 3 | 1 | 38 | 22 | 7 | 79 |
| Drains re-constructed or repaired | 110 | 113 | 77 | 143 | 69 | 111 | 623 |
| Sink waste pipes trapped and disconnected | — | 97 | 124 | 228 | 39 | 133 | 621 |
| Stack pipes re-instated | 38 | 121 | 46 | 149 | 26 | 130 | 510 |
| Eaves, gutters re-instated | 33 | 125 | 51 | 144 | 24 | 91 | 468 |
| Stack pipes disconnected from drains | 1 | 64 | 46 | 85 | 114 | 101 | 411 |
| Accumulation of sewage dealt with | 13 | 20 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 43 | 121 |
| Cesspools abolished | — | 1 | — | 6 | — | 3 | 10 |
| New water closets constructed | 173 | 40 | 4 | 29 | 91 | 17 | 354 |
| Old water closets re-constructed or repaired | 69 | 138 | 185 | 175 | 155 | 190 | 912 |
| Water closets cleansed and white-washed | — | 253 | 68 | 22 | 118 | 116 | 577 |
| Water restored or newly laid on to water closets | 15 | 29 | 24 | 40 | 27 | 32 | 167 |
| Obstructions in water closets removed | 1 | 23 | 18 | 8 | 27 | 34 | 111 |
| Overcrowding in houses abated | — | 19 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 58 |
| Damp courses in houses provided | — | 1 | 19 | 40 | — | 6 | 66 |
| Walls pointed | 33 | 5 | 34 | 40 | 16 | 35 | 163 |
| Roofs repaired | 28 | 26 | 79 | 35 | 18 | 44 | 230 |
| Stairs repaired | 50 | 5 | 66 | 18 | 5 | 108 | 252 |
| Floors repaired | 56 | 16 | 95 | 56 | 14 | 107 | 343 |
| Ventilation under floors | 19 | 78 | 207 | 204 | 6 | 85 | 599 |
| Doors repaired | 50 | 3 | 63 | 8 | 6 | 92 | 222 |
| Door cills provided | 211 | 139 | 270 | 120 | 71 | 152 | 963 |
| Sashes | 47 | 29 | 62 | 5 | 9 | 101 | 253 |
| Houses cleansed throughout | 66 | 22 | 63 | 63 | 76 | 81 | 371 |
| Houses cleansed in part | 59 | 198 | 32 | 215 | 32 | 170 | 706 |
| Total number of rooms cleansed | 321 | 582 | 606 | 856 | 656 | 930 | 3951 |
| Yards or areas lime-washed | — | 281 | 60 | 8 | 98 | 106 | 553 |
| Yards paved | 77 | 174 | 111 | 197 | 68 | 160 | 787 |
| Areas or forecourts paved | 37 | 103 | 42 | 81 | 11 | 47 | 321 |
| New areas constructed | — | 15 | 19 | 22 | 3 | — | 59 |
| Sculleries paved | 12 | 50 | 136 | 97 | 24 | 71 | 390 |
| Dust receptaoles provided | 25 | 146 | 73 | 102 | 53 | 101 | 500 |
| Dungbins provided | 3 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 29 |
| Insanitary cisterns removed | 2 | 29 | — | 4 | 2 | 12 | 49 |
In addition to the foregoing 60 old brick drains were abolished, 60 foul
accumulations were removed, 12 window cills were provided, and 60 leaking water
pipes were made good. There were 16 cases where animals were improperly stabled
dealt with, and 294 cases where nuisance was caused by rats infesting premises.
The presence of rats on premises as a rule indicates that the drains or sewers
are defective in the near neighbourhood. It is especially important to ensure that
dwelling houses shall be free from rats, for along the rat-runs the noxious and
injurious gases from sewers and drains find a path to impregnate the air breathed by