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
Richmond upon Thames 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
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The complaints received during the year are classified in the table below and they reflect a pattern similar to that of previous years.
| Nature of Complaint. | Number Received |
|---|---|
| Housing Defects | 382 |
| Choked and defective drains and sewers | 792 |
| Defective water closets | 53 |
| Accumulations of offensive matter | 180 |
| Unsound food | 179 |
| Verminous and other Infested premises: | |
| (a) Bugs | 50 |
| (b) Rats and Mice | 1347 |
| (c) Wasps | 5 |
| (d) Fleas | 99 |
| (e) Others | 104 |
| Keeping of Animals | 20 |
| Nuisance from Pigeons | 26 |
| Smoke Nuisances | 125 |
| Noise Nuisances | 78 |
| Fumigation of Rooms | 18 |
| Miscellaneous | 290 |
| Total | 3748 |
Every effort is made by inspectors to carry out their work through informal action, and to seek co-operation by interview and letter; in certain cases recourse to statutory proceedings is unavoidable, and a summary of notices served during the year is given below:
| Subject of Notice. | Public Health Act. | Food and Drugs Act. |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Informal Notices served | 320 | 204 |
| Number of Informal Notices complied with | 240 | 183 |
| Number of Statutory Notices served | 65 | - |
| Number of Statutory Notices complied with | 77 | - |
The reports of the presence of rats and mice received by the department show no sign of falling in numbers.
| 1969 | 1968 | |
|---|---|---|
| No. of complaints received | 1347 | 1353 |
| No. of infestations found | 1091 | 1040 |
| Total number of visits | 10748 | 8444 |