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
Walthamstow 1941
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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Several tests have been carried out at the laundry and it has
proved very officient.
GENERAL.- The Department is responsible for the clearance of
bombed sites and debris from the roads. This entailed an
enormous task swing to the difficulty in obtaining suitable
labour. The average number of men engaged on this work was
350 per day and 20 lorries.
All classes of building material that could be salvaged for
re-use was recovered, and a large portion of the ground at the
Works allocated for storage. During the year approximately
9,588 loads of debris were removed, 1,500,000 bricks cleaned
and re-used for the building of shelters, blast walls, N.F.S.
Sub-stations, etc., and many other miscellaneous articles such
as slates, tiles, timber, dorrs, baths etc., used for the
repairing of bomb damaged properties.
(III) SANITARY INFECTION' OF THE AREA.
Mr .M.S.Duncan, Chief Sanitary Inspector, reports as follows
| No.of inspections made. | No. of nuisances detected | Number of complaints received | No. of Informal Notices | No. Of Statutory Notices | Total Visits. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Served | Complied wi t h | Served | Complied with | ||||
| 8,639 | 3,304 | 1,382 | 732 | 909 | 47 | 61 | 13,148 |
The work under review for 1941 has been rather difficult in
that only three District Inspectors were available for three
quarters of the year and five for the last quarter - the usual
number being seven Inspectors.
The average number of complaints received in 1937 and 1938
was 1740, in 1941 the number of complaints was 1332 and with
the very depleted inspectorial staff no House to House
Inspections were possible.
The number of houses found with defects was 899 necessitating
the serving of written notices in respect of 732 premises and
during the year 909 premises were put into habitable condition.
A fair amount of difficulty is being experienced in getting
compliance with notices. Shortage of labour and material and
sometimes financial embarrassment to the owners are the main
causes of this and it would appear that this position will not
be eased for some time.
The nature and variety of the work done during 1941 is shown
in • the following tables:-
Drains tested, 335; Drains reconstructed or repaired, 221;
Drains, obstructions removed, 142; Drains, means of acoess provided
14; Drains, ventilations provided or improved, 19; Drains,
ventilation repaired, 33; Soil pipes repaired, 35; Soil pipes
new, provided, 16; Rain water pipes renewed, 39; Rain water
pipes disconnected from drains, 3; Roofs repaired or renewed,208;
Gutterings repaired or renewed, 207; W.C. pans or traps
provided, 160; Gully traps provided, 29; W.C.flush cisterns
provided, 50; W.C.flush cisterns repaired, 85; W.C.floors
concreted, 32; W.C's.repaired and cleansed, 131; W.C's. light
and ventilation improved, 4: Waste pipes renewed or trapped,70;
Waste pipes repaired, 81; Few sinks provided, 14 Water supply
reinstated, 5; Cisterns cleansed and covered, 16; Conveniences
cleansed or repaired, 11; Sculleries paved, 17; Yards and
forecourts paved and repaired, 72; Dirty houses cleansed, 2;
Dirty rooms cleansed, 849; Floor repaired, 63; Ventilations
under floors provided or improved, 27; New damp-proof courses
provided, 17; Sites concreted, 2; Offensive accumulations
removed, 40; Animals improperly kept, removed, 3;Manure
receptacles provided, 1; Stables cleansed, paved and. drained,45;
Manholes repaired or re-sealed, 113; Other cases of dampness
remedied, 144; Miseellaneous repairs, 859.
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