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
Harrow 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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Defects Found.
| Particulars | Number of cases in which defects were found | Number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Found | Remedied | To H.M. Inspector | By H.M. Inspector | ||
| Want of cleanliness | 60 | 65 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Overcrowding | — | — | — | — | — |
| Unreasonable temperature | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — |
| Inadequate ventilation | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| Ineffective drainage of floors | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Sanitary conveniences— (a) Insufficient | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | _ |
| (b) Unsuitable or defective | 46 | 42 | — | 1 | — |
| (c) Not separate for sexes | 4 | 4 | — | 4 | — |
| Other offences against the Act (not including offences relating to outwork) | 26 | 32 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Total | 147 | 154 | 4 | 13 | — |
In addition 324 visits were made to premises of outworkers who are
persons undertaking at home work sent out from factories or business
premises.
Shops.
During the year 1,307 inspections were made by the Shops Act
Inspector. The contraventions found and dealt with included six cases
where assistants were being employed on the day of their weekly halfholiday
; two cases where a young person (i.e., an employee under 18
years of age) was being employed in excess of the permitted number of
hours ; one case where a young person was being employed after 10 p.m. ;
four cases where assistants were being employed on Sunday work and not
being given compensatory time off during the week, and eight cases where
there was a failure to close the shop on the day of the weekly half-holiday.
There were also 361 cases where the notices required by the Shops Act
were not being exhibited. Evening observations led to 19 shopkeepers
being warned for serving customers after closing hours. In those cases
where a previous warning had been given, the Public Health Committee
were informed and final warnings were sent by the Clerk of the Council.
Following visits by the Shops Act Inspector, 29 shops were redecorated
and 112 requests for other repairs and improvements were complied with.
These included the provision of improved heating facilities, hot water
heaters and other matters concerned either with the cleanliness of premises
or the welfare of the assistants.
The number of shops on the register at the end of the year was 2,307,
an increase of 32 on the previous year.