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
Merton and Morden 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
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REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Although the number of inspections made by your
Sanitary Inspectors during 1954 showed a decrease of 210
from 9,669 in 1953, the total reached at 9,459 must be
regarded as most satisfactory, especially as one Inspector
resigned in October on obtaining a higher paid post with
another Authority. Moreover, during the summer he spent
some little time in making a preliminary survey of insanitary
houses in Abbey Ward in preparation for the post-war
resumption of slum clearance which received Ministerial encouragement
during the year.
The following table compares the year's total is with those of 1954 under the main headings and while in dicating the general scope of the work points out the shift of emphasis between them:—
| 1954. | 1953. | |
|---|---|---|
| Food Shops, etc | 1,677 | 1,562 |
| Housing—primary visits ... | 692 | 683 |
| „ —reinspections | 915 | 888 |
| „ —overcrowding provisions | 119 | 213 |
| „ —miscellaneous ...... | 354 | 50 |
| Drainage—chokages and repairs ... | 1,254 | 1,534 |
| Rat and Mice destruction ... | 558 | 495 |
| Shops—Welfare provisions | 620 | 528 |
| Infectious Disease enquiries | 377 | 936 |
| Factories, Workplaces and Out | ||
| workers ... ...... | 514 | 528 |
| Milk Supply............ | 144 | 77 |
| Smoke abatement ... ...... | 225 | 607 |
| Rivers and Stream pollution | 148 | 75 |
| Stables and Piggeries ...... | 38 | 110 |
| Miscellaneous (Caravans, Hair | ||
| dressers, Schools, Building sites, | ||
| etc.) ...... ...... | 1,824 | 1,383 |
| 9,459 | 9,669 |
The continued decrease in " overcrowding " visits was an
expected result of the Council's housing policy and the
decrease in drainage repairs and cleansing was not a surprise.
The most noticeable drop, however, is that relating to
Infectious Disease Enquiries—falling to a little more than a
third of last year. This fortunate occurrence enabled other
items to receive more attention but it is significant that in
spite of the 7i% increase in visits to Food Shops, etc., it still
proved impossible to make at least one visit during the year
to each of those premises where routine visits are possible
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