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 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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43
INTRODUCTION
The chief task of the year in the environmental field was the amalgamation
of the various procedures of the three metropolitan boroughs. Although subject
to the main public health legislation, the byelaws and standards for such
things as houses in multiple occupation varied to a'minor degree as between
the three Metropolitan boroughs. There were also different procedures within
the three Departments and each had their individual approach.
The main public health statute is not now the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936. The work is now done under the principal Public Health Act, 1936,
as amended by the London Government Act 1963 and by various London County
Council (General Powers) Acts, which were continued in force by the latter Act.
Statistical details of the action taken during the year under the various Public Health enactments are given below:-
| Notices served | Notices complied with | |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health (London) Act, 1936 | 74 | 69 |
| Public Health Act, 1936 | 1,371 | 1, 154 |
| Public Health Act, 1961 | 64 | 60 |
| Byelaws | 63 | 54 |
| 1, 572 | 1, 337 |
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936
CLEANSING AND DISINFECTION
Treatment of scabies and verminous conditions is carried out in the Council's Cleansing and Disinfecting station in Millfields Road, and the following cases were dealt with:-
| Scabies | Head and body lice | Cleansing Baths | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases | Treatments | Contacts (Preventive treatments) | Cases | Treatments | Cases | Treatments | |
| Children under 5 years | 73 | 130 | 7 | 16 | 16 | _ | - |
| Children over 5 years | 1 | 3 | _ | _ | _ | _ | |
| Adults | 105 | 182 | 3 | 36 | 37 | 4 | 4 |
| Totals | 179 | 315 | 10 | 52 | 53 | 4 | 4 |
SUMMARY OF DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION WORK
CARRIED OUT AT THE STATION AND ELSEWHERE
Rooms disinfected 425
Bedding and clothing disinfected 15,862 articles
Public Library (including routine disinfection) and other
books disinfected 4, 348
Rooms disinfested of vermin 1,908
Open sites cleared (material burned and buried on site) 4 occasions
Material removed from open sites 2 bins
Articles removed from open sites 19
Materials removed from private houses 250 bins
256 van loads
2,168 articles
Wasps destroyed 48 nests
Bees destroyed 1 swarm