London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1964

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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40
PUBLIC HEALTH PROPAGANDA
Health propaganda posters were posted and regularly changed from time to
time on the Public Health notice boards which are fixed in positions on the
Council's housing estates, in the Town Hall and Public Libraries. There is
also a large notice board situated in St. John's Churchyard
A rack containing leaflets of various type is kept filled at the entrance
to the Department, and in addition to this, Public Health leaflets have been
distributed through the courtesy of the Borough Librarian and the Public
Libraries.
In-so-far as propaganda under the Clean Air Act is concerned, all occupier
and owners of properties have received information letters and booklets
Very wide publicity is being given to the requirements of the Clean Air Act,
particularly those affecting Smoke Control Areas All occupiers in proposed
Smoke Control Areas and the owners of the properties have received relevant
literature in this direction.
Articles have been written and published in the "Newsletter" published
monthly by the Council but the main propaganda has been by direct verbal
transmission in the kitchens of cafes and restaurants factories and offices,
and all types of premises for it is firmly believed that this type of
propaganda really carries a great deal of weight, A great deal of publicity
of the work of the Public Health Department has been afforded through the medium of the
Television Authorities in the B.B.C.s overseas programmes in the National
and local Press and in professional journals.
ANTI-FLY CAMPAIGN
The campaign to combat the fly nuisance has been continued. By arrangement
and with the co operation of the Cleansing and Transport Superintendent
all dust bins and dust chutes are dusted during the fly breeding season with
gammexane after the receptacles are emptied by the Council's refuse collectors.
A full survey has been made of all refuse container compartments at the
foot of dust chutes in local authority flats because of the rapidly changing
nature of refuse as the Smoke Control Programme continues. Working in close
harmony with the Borough Engineer work of repair and improvement commenced to
bring refuse container compartments up to the standard of the British Code of
Practice No.306 (1960).
FREE WASHING FACILITIES
Free washing facilities are installed in every public sanitary convenience
in the Borough, but these are unfortunately not being used as much as we
should like to see.
PAID PUPILLAGE
Training of student public health inspectors in the department continued,
but the one who failed to qualify in 1963 left this Authority in February.
The other who sat for the new Public Health Inspectors Education Board Diploma
in July was successful and was immediately appointed as a Public Health Inspector.