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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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42
LAND CHARGES ACT, 1925
Enquiries by prospective purchasers of property as to outstanding sanitary
and other notices, and orders or charges were dealt with in respect of 1.721
premises.
PREVENTION OP DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949
Rodent control work was again carried out in accordance with the methods
of treatment recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by
whom fifty per cent. of the cost of this work, not otherwise recovered is
reimbursed to the Council. Charges are made for treatments carried out at
business premises, but no charge is made in the case of private dwellings, A
staff of one rodent officer (part time) and five operatives carried out this
work.
Following investigation of 1,176 complaints of infestations received, 933
dwelling houses and 139 business premises were found to be infested by rats and
mice. Some 50,600 baits were laid and as a result 1,000 premises were cleared
In cases where defective drains appeared to be a factor in the infestation,
examination of the drains was carried out by the district sanitary inspectors.
A total of 124 drains were examined, tests were applied to 100 and 89 were
found to be defective,
The following is a summary of the premises found to be infested and treated: -
| Premises | Rats | 56 | Rats | 495 | Rats | - | Rats | 551 |
| infested | Mice | 83 | Mice | 438 | Mice | 1 | Mice | 522 |
| 139 | 933 | 1 | 1,073 | |||||
| Premises | Rats | 56 | Rats | 433 | Rats | - | Rats | 489 |
| cleared | Mice | 79 | Mice | 431 | Mice | 1 | Mice | 511 |
| 135 | 864 | 1 | 1,000 | |||||
The sum of £202 10s. 1 was recovered from the owners of the business
premises treated.
As in previous years, the staff of the Borough Engineer and Surveyor's
Department dealt with infestation in the Council s sewers,
SHOPS ACT, 1950
The Borough Council are responsible for enforcing the following provisions
of this Act: -
SECTION 38 (Sanitary and other arrangements in shops).
(1) In every part of a shop in which persons are employed about the
business of the shop -
(a) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation shall be provided
and suitable and sufficient ventilation shall be maintained:
(b) suitable and sufficient means shall be provided to maintain a
reasonable temperature and a reasonable temperature shall be maintained.
(2) In every shop, not being a shop exempted from the provisions of this
subsection, there shall be provided and maintained suitable and sufficient
sanitary conveniences available for the use of persons employed in or about the
shop.
(6) A shop shall be exempted from the provisions of subsection (2) .
of this section if there is in force a certificate exempting the shop therefrom