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 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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but during the time that the normal collection of house refuse within
the Borough was held up it was not possible to cope with the
demands. Rat infestations on the sites were dealt with as they came
to light and no secondary infestations arose as a result of any neglect
of this matter.
The aggregation of work involved in the above matters produced
an unprecedented burden on the Department at a time when,
unfortunately, it was not possible to bring the staff of Sanitary
Inspectors up to full pre-war complement.
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 | 9,517 | |
| ,, ,, after infectious disease | 532 | |
| Inspections of factories and workshops | 204 | |
| ,, ,, bakehouses | 69 | |
| ,, ,, dairies and milkshops | 875 | |
| ,, ,, Meat Depot | 55 | |
| ,, ,, butchers' shops and stores | 699 | |
| ,, ,, other food premises | 1,325 | |
| Drains and sanitary fittings examined | 5,157 | |
| ,, repaired | 1,231 | |
| ,, relaid | 96 | |
| Premises in which defects were found | all forms of inspection | 8,841 |
| ,, ,, ,, abated | 4,948 | |
| Total number of re-inspections | 28,948 | |
| Intimation notices served | 7,233 | |
| Statutory notices served | 1,911 | |
| Summonses issued for housing defects | 64 | |
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.
Rats and Mice.—The infestation of premises by rats and mice
has continued to receive close attention. No major infestation of
premises was reported or found during the year, but the number
of complaints of rat infestation has remained at a rather high level
—849 complaints as compared with 833 in the previous year.