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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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67.
(J) SMOKE ABATEMENT
The Clean Air Act received the Royal Assent during the year and represented the culmination of years
of effort by local authorities and their staffs to secure legislation affording a more stringent check on
air pollution. The Act followed the Report of the 'Beaver Committee' which made an exhaustive enquiry
into the problem. Most of the Act was not operative until later years, but industrial undertakings were
given seven years from the passing of the Act to "put their house in order" after which such defences as
obsolete machinery would not be acceptable at law. Particular attention was paid to the few persistent
offenders in the district, and in one case we were able to persuade the management of a large laundry establishment
to rebuild and rebuild the chimney serving the boiler furnace.
(K) FACTORIES, WORKPLACES AND OUTWORKERS
The number of factories on the register at the end of the year was 333 including 42 power factories
and 291 non-power factories.
Arising out of 314 inspections carried out it was necessary to call the attention of the occupiers of
the factories in 45 cases to defects existing on the premises, consisting for the most part of a want of
cleanliness and unsuitable or defective sanitary accommodation.
There are also 220 outworkers ln the district, primarily engaged ln the business of making wearing
apparel or assembling Christmas crackers. The premises were visited to ensure that work was carried out
under suitable conditions.
(L) PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT
Frequent visits were paid to these establishments, including ordinary Dance Halls. The management
or proprietors of these premises do afford the local authority's officers all co-operation ln maintaining
satisfactory public health standards and ln carrying out the terms of the Corporation's Regulations with
regard to the management of the premises.
(M) SAMPLING
The following table shows the number of samples of all types taken for analysis or examination.
| Chemical | |
|---|---|
| Food & Drugs Act | 339 |
| Bacteriological - Food | 142 |
| Water - drinking and bath | 10 |
| Fertilisers | 6 |
| Feeding Stuffs | 2 |
| Rag Flock & Filling Materials | 9 |
| Total | 508 |
(N) DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT
Various Orders were made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and appropriate action
was taken where Orders affected local animal or poultry dealers.
HOUSING STATISTICS
| 1. Inspection of dwelllnghouses during the year | ||||
| 1. | (A) | Total number of dwelllnghouses inspected for defects (under Public Health Act or Housing Act) | 8,545 | |
| (B) | 18,887 | |||
| 2. | (A) | Number of dwelling houses included under Subhead (1) above which were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidation Regulations, 1925 | - | |
| (B) | Number of inspections made for the purpose | - | ||
| 3. | Number of premises found to be ln a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation | - | ||
| 4. | Number of dwelling houses (exclusive of those referred to under preceding sub-heading) found not to be ln all respects | 2,158 | ||