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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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153
INDIVIDUAL UNFIT HOUSES. S. II, HOUSING ACT, 1936
No house was dealt with under this section during 1938.
UNDERGROUND ROOMS
During the year 313 basement rooms were visited and of these 310 were reported
to the Housing Committee, and after 30th June the Health Committee as being
underground rooms within the meaning of the Act. Undertakings were given in
respect of 216 of these rooms by the Owner or Agent and of these 80 were in force at
the end of the year. No closing orders were made by the Council. In 64 of the
underground rooms, the owners carried out the necessary work required and the
rooms were made to comply with the regulations. Three underground rooms
belonging to the Borough Council were closed during the year.
The following table shows the position during the year in respect to underground
rooms :—
Table No. 137
| Number of rooms outstanding at end of 1937 | 53 | |
| Underground rooms reported to Council during 1938 | 310 | |
| 363 | ||
| Rooms in respect of which undertakings were received | 116 | |
| „ on which Closing Orders were made | Nil | |
| „ made to comply with regulations | 64 | |
| „ belonging to Borough Council which were closed | 3 | |
| - | 183 | |
| Number of rooms outstanding at end of 1938 | 180 | |
| 363 | ||
The total number of underground rooms reported to the Council during 1938 but
still not complying with the Regulations at the end of the year was 261.
ERADICATION OF BED BUGS
During the year the number of families moving to or transferring within the
Council's flats was 65. In each instance the furniture and effects were disinfested
by the cyanide method. The department also supervised the disinfestation by
cyanide of the effects of one family moving to a flat owned by the Shoreditch Housing
Association.
In cases for disinfestation the effects of the family, except beds, bedding, and
soft goods, are removed at about 8 a.m. in a specially constructed removal van
to a yard adjoining the disinfecting station. Disinfestation is then carried out by