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 1971
[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 | 321 |
| Choked and defective drains and sewers | 834 |
| Defective water closets | 92 |
| Accumulations of offensive matter | 199 |
| Unsound food | 150 |
| Verminous and other Infested premises: | |
| (a) Bugs | 47 |
| (b) Rats and Mice | 1277 |
| (c) Wasps | 501 |
| (d) Fleas | 141 |
| (e) Others | 185 |
| Keeping of Animals | 9 |
| Nuisance from Pigeons | 55 |
| Smoke Nuisances | 119 |
| Noise Nuisances | 104 |
| Fumigation of Rooms | 7 |
| Miscellaneous | 359 |
| Condemned Food | 107 |
| Total | 4507 |
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 Acts. | Food and Drugs Act. |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Informal Notices served | 262 | 75 |
| Number of Informal Notices complied with | 221 | 56 |
| Number of Statutory Notices served | 59 | - |
| Number of Statutory Notices complied with | 70 | — |
6. DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION
After the occurrence of an infectious disease, premises and articles therein can be
disinfected free of charge and in cases other than infectious disease on payment by the
individual.
Disinfestation work to eradicate bed bugs, fleas, etc., is paid for by the individual
and is not a charge on the Council.
During July a number of complaints were received from Ham residents of plagues
of mosquitoes. The houses from which the complaints originated were sited near Ham
Common, which is a wooded area.
A sample of the mosquitoes was obtained and investigation revealed them to be
Aedes Rusticus which is a rather large mosquito with dark legs and a banded abdomen.
They are mainly found in woodland areas and they breed in temporary pools of
water The larvae hatch out in the winter, the adults appearing in the spring, producing
troublesome bites during the summer near their breeding areas.
At the time the complaints were received there was no evidence of pools of water
providing breeding places. It was thought that the heavy rainfall during the earlier part
of the year would have provided suitable sites for larval growth.
Due to the fact that this species of mosquito breeds only once a year, the only means
of control in this case was to eradicate the adult mosquitoes.
Persons suffering from scabies or infested with lice are taken, with their bedding, to
Hammersmith Medicinal Baths for cleansing, and I am indebted to Dr. A. D. C. S.
Cameron, Medical Officer of Health and Director of Social Services of the London
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