London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
53
Bye-law as to Spitting
During the year your Council decided to take all possible
action to try to prevent the very objectionable habit of spitting in
public places.
A bye-law was approved, making it an offence to spit on the
floor, side or wall of any public carriage or of any public hall,
waiting room or place of public entertainment.
Unfortunately this bye-law does not extend to public and
private highways where the offence is most common and objection-
able.
Dr. F. Marsh, Pathologist in charge of the Laboratory at Epping, has kindly supplied the following information in regard to work done in Walthamstow:-
| Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fæces | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 80 |
| Agglutinations | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 164 |
| Rhesus, etc. | 27 | 31 | 29 | 20 | 19 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 22 | 18 | 236 |
| Urine | 13 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 60 |
| Plates | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 15 | 58 |
| Eye Swabs | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| Nose & Throat Swabs | 22 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 25 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 167 |
| Ear Swabs | — | 1 | - | 1 | — | — | 1 | - | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Fluid | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Food | — | - | 3 | - | - | — | — | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| Sputum | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Totals | 80 | 54 | 60 | 32 | 82 | 75 | 70 | 73 | 78 | 61 | 74 | 48 | 787 |
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Old People's Welfare.—The Council (under the provision
of Section 31 of the National Assistance Act, 1948) made the
following contributions to the Old People's Welfare Committee:
Meals on Wheels, £300; Old People's Clubs, £450; Miscellaneous,
£50; a total of £800.
In addition, 4 Council cars and drivers were made available
for distributing meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Free office accommodation and the services of a shorthandtypist
were also made available.