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HOME ACCIDENTS
The number who died as a result of accident other than motor vehicle accident fell
from 17 in 1956 to 9 in 1957, and of these accidental deaths only one occurred at home—
a man of 81 who fell at home and sustained a fractured pelvis and subsequently died.
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. All
inhabited houses are supplied from public water mains and there are no standpipes in use on
mains.
Under Section 35, Middlesex County Council Act, 1956, provision is made for immediate
action to be taken by the Local Authority to restore a water supply which has been
cut off for some default.
One sample of tap water was taken by Departmental staff by request of the householder
and found to be satisfactory. Seven bacteriological and seven chemical samples were taken
from artesian wells in the Borough. All were satisfactory.
Sanitary Inspections of the District
The total number of inspections of premises made during the year by the Public Health
Inspectors was 6,948. The number of inspections showed a slight decrease in 1957. Visits
to food premises rose considerably, but there was a smaller demand for work on overcrowding
and vermin infestation, and for inspections following complaints of housing defects. A
good deal of attention was required at the Market in the High Street where a weekly horse
and cattle sale is held on Wednesdays and a general sale of produce and goods is held on
Saturdays. The result of much visiting produced considerable improvements in hygiene.
Table XII gives an analysis of the number and nature of such inspections.
School Sanitation
Forty visits were paid to schools during the year. As co-operation between the Education
Department, Schools and Public Health Department staffs is excellent, these visits are
usually made following requests from the Education Officer or School Head Teacher, and are
usually because of emergency sanitary defects.
Information was received from the Divisional Education Officer that no major works
on school sanitation were undertaken during 1957.
Eradication of Bed Bugs
Statistics for the year:—
(a) Number of Council houses
(1) found to be infested 3
(2) disinfested during the year 3
(b) Number of other houses Total 6
(1) found to be infested 3
(2) disinfested during the year 3
Canal Boats
No work was necessary on canal boat inspection during the year—the main docks for
the boats on the Grand Union Canal are in the two neighbouring boroughs, so that routine
inspections are carried out there while the boats are stationary.
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