London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Southall 1955

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]

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SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BOROUGH
Water Supply and Water Services
Water is supplied to nearly the whole of the district by the South-West Suburban
Water Company. The Metropolitan Water Board supplies a small area in the southern
part of the district, and the Rickmansworth & Uxbridge Valley Water Company a small
area in the northern part. The supply is satisfactory, both in quality and quantity.
Reports on sampling carried out by the Metropolitan Water Board are issued from time
to time. A sample of drinking water which had been the subject of complaint was taken
from one house during the year for chemical examination and reported as satisfactory.
All inhabited houses are supplied from public water mains and there are no standpipes in
use on mains.
Sanitary Inspections of the District
The total number of inspections of premises made during the year by the Sanitary
Inspectors was 7,661. The number of inspections to ascertain defects or nuisances showed
an overall increase over the previous year.
Table XII gives an analysis of the number and nature of such inspections.
School Sanitation
Twenty-four visits were paid to schools during the year. As co-operation between
the Education Department, Schools and Public Health Department staffs is excellent,
visits are usually made following requests from the Education Officer or School Head
Teacher, and are usually because of emergency sanitary defects.
There is a progressive and constant improvement in the sanitary conditions of schools,
and these inspections have now taken on the nature of routine work dealing with individual
defects as and when they occur.
Information was received from the Divisional Education Officer that no major works
on school sanitation were undertaken during 1955.
Eradication of Bed Bugs
Statistics for the year:—
(a) Number of Council houses
(1) found to be infested 6
(2) disinfested during the year 6
(b) Number of other houses Tota 15
(1) found to be infested 9
(2) disinfested during the year 9
Canal Boats
Four boats were inspected in transit on the canal. The condition of boats and
occupants was satisfactory. There were no complaint notices issued by other authorities.
Mortuary and Post-Mortem Room
The mortuary, situated in Havelock Road, provides adequate accommodation for the
Borough. No bodies were deposited in the mortuary during the year. 181 bodies were
deposited in the mortuary at Acton for post-mortem purposes and coroner's inquest if
necessary.
Factories Act, 1937
The following tables give details of the work done in connection with the factories
and outworkers in the Borough:—
28