London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
This page requires JavaScript
29
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 year:—
| Houses inspected on complaint | 4,320 |
| „ „ after infectious disease | 502 |
| Inspections of factories and workshops | 606 |
| „ „ bakehouses | 48 |
| „ „ dairies and milkshops | 1,242 |
| „ „ cowsheds | 4 |
| „ „ Meat Depot | 104 |
| „ „ butchers' shops and stores | 170 |
| „ „ other food premises | 899 |
| „ „ air raid shelters | 82 |
| Inspections to find houses suitable for rehousing homeless persons | 1,512 |
| Drains and sanitary fittings examined | 3,302 |
| „ repaired | 564 |
| „ relaid | 29 |
| Premises in which defects were found of all forms | 3,858 |
| „ „ abated of | 3,473 |
| Total number of re-inspectionsinspection | 20.348 |
| Intimation notices served | 2,728 |
| Statutory notices served | 636 |
| Summonses issued for housing defects | 23 |
Water Supply.—The water supply of the Borough is under the
control of the Metropolitan Water Board. All the dwelling houses
in the Borough are supplied from the Board's mains direct to the
houses. No report of any form of contamination of the water
supply was received during the year.
There are 15 premises in the Borough at which 22 wells have
been bored. All but two of these are deep bore wells, four of
which are no longer in use. Of the remaining 18 wells at 13
premises only three provide water which is used for drinking
purposes.
Refuse Removal and Disposal.—The Borough Engineer and
Surveyor has kindly given me information with regard to the
difficulties experienced during the war in maintaining the high
standard of refuse removal and disposal provided in pre-war years.
In normal times a regular weekly collection of house refuse was
made in all parts of the Borough, with more frequent collections