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
East Ham 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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149
Contagious Diseases of Animals Act.
Foot and Mouth Disease was prevalent throughout the year, necessitating the issue of 123 licences for 3,330 animals which were brought into the Borough for slaughter, viz.:—
| Sheep | 952 |
| Pigs | 1,270 |
| Calves | 373 |
| Cattle | 316 |
| Lambs | 419 |
| 3,330 |
No case of Foot and Mouth Disease occurred in the Borough.
Swine Fever occurred at Langdon Crescent, caused by infected
pigs being brought in from Romford Market. All the
infected animals were killed, premises disinfected, and no further
cases reported.
The Borough has been otherwise free from any disease notifiable
under the Contagious Diseases of Animals Acts.
Hats and Mice Act.
Rat catching has been continued. The Council's contractor
visits the Sewage Works, Dust Destructor, Hospital and other
places when requested; baits are laid, traps set, and other devices'
such as smoke and poison gas used. The number of victims cannot
be accurately recorded, but some 2,762 rats and 196 mice
were known to be destroyed. The Council encourages the public
to assist in removing the menace of these intruders by lending
traps and, where safety warrants, poisoned baits are laid free of
cost.
Petroleum Licences.
The work of supervising the storage of petroleum has been
vested in the Public Health Department.
Underground storage is the common method and is undoubtedly
best and safest. Every care is taken at the time of
installation—the tanks are bedded in concrete, ventilated, tested
(10 lbs. to square inch), and finally a petrol test is applied. A
report is then submitted to the Council before the licence is issued.