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
Hackney 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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PUBLIC MORTUARY.
Details of the bodies deposited in the Public Mortuary during the year are given in the following table:—
| Persons dying in Hackney. | Persons dying elsewhere. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of bodies deposited in the mortuary | ||||
| 1. To await inquests | — | — | — | |
| (b) Non-Infectious | 14 | 102 | ||
| 2. To await burial | — | 1 | 1 | |
| 3. Cause of death certified by Coroner | 41 | |||
| Number of post-mortem examinations made | 415 | |||
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
The following is a summary of the principal forms of inspection and of the action taken by the Sanitary Inspectors during the
| Houses inspected on complaint | ||
| ,, ,, after infectious disease | ||
| Inspections of factories and workshops | ||
| ,, ,, bakehouses | ||
| ,, ,, dairies and milkshops | ||
| ,, ,, cowsheds | ||
| ,, ,, Meat Depot | ||
| ,, ,, butchers' shops and stores | ||
| ,, ,, other food premises | ||
| ., ,, air raid shelters | ||
| Drains and sanitary fittings examined | ||
| ,, repaired | ||
| ,, relaid | ||
| Premises in which defects were found | all forms of inspection | |
| ,, ,, ,, ,, abated | ||
| Total number of re-inspections | ||
| Intimation notices served | ||
| Statutory notices served | ||
| Summonses issued for housing defects | ||
Rats and Mice.—Special attention has been paid to the problem
of rats and mice infestations in view of the importance in war time
of the protection of food supplies from these destructive pests. Rat
infestations have in the past been in the majority of cases due to
defective drainage which allowed rats to leave sewers and drains
to feed and breed. Air-raid damage to buildings, drains and sewers
has, of course, led to an increase in rat infestations but the policy
adopted in 1940, soon after air-raiding commenced, of opening