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 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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18
C—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
Water.—The authority responsible is the Metropolitan Water
Board. Routine tests were carried out by the Board, and the previous
practice was continued in notifying the Board of an actual
or a suspected case of Enteric Fever so that special tests could be
carried out at the addesses concerned.
All dwelling houses in the area are supplied direct with water.
The information included in the report for 1949 in respect of
Ministry of Health Circular 2/50, also applied to 1950.
Mr. F. W. Kemp, Chief Sanitary Inspector, reports as follows:—
| No. of inspections made. | No. of nuisances detected. | No. of complaints received. | No. of Informal Notices | No. of Statutory Notices. | Total Visits. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Served. | Complied with. | Served. | Complied with. | ||||
| 14,584 | 6,898 | 3,228 | 2,119 | 2,059* | 290 | 329* | 21,762 |
* Includes notices outstanding from previous year.
Of the 2,119 informal notices served, 254 were in respect of
business premises and the remainder (1,865) related to defects in
private houses. Of the latter figure, 1,583 were complied with
without resort to statutory procedure.
Owing to the failure of an Owner to comply with a statutory
notice served under Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1936, the Council
undertook the required work at a cost of £25 8s. 1d.
It was found necessary to institute legal proceedings against
Owners for non-compliance with 14 Abatement Notices served
under Section 93 of the Public Health Act, 1936. Orders were
made by the Justices in six cases; fines with costs inflicted in three;
costs ranging from £1 0s. 0d. to £2 2s. 0d. in three; and eight were
withdrawn.
The following table shows the nature of work executed and
improvements effected during the year:—
Drains tested, 424; Drains reconstructed or repaired, 465;
Drains, obstructions removed, 198; Drains, means of access
provided, 50 ; Drains, ventilation provided or improved, 88;
Drains, ventilation repaired, 84; Soil pipes repaired or renewed,
104 ; Rain water pipes repaired or renewed, 211; Rain water