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

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Mile End 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hamlet of Mile End Old Town]

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Health, of any house that appears to them to be injurious to
health so as to be unfit for human habitaton," and it shall be the
duty of such Medical Officer of Health to inspect such house,
and report to the Local Authority.
As will be seen from another part of my report I have taken
action in some seventeen houses under Section 30.
Section 38 referring to obstructive buildings states:
38.—(1) If a medical officer of health finds that any building within his
district, although not in itself unfit for human habitation, is so situate that by reason
of its proximity to or contact with any other buildings it causes one of the following
effects, that is to say,—
(a) It 8tops ventilation, or otherwise makes or conduces to make such other
buildings to be in a condition unfit for human habitation or dangerous or
injurious to health ; or
(£) It prevents proper measures from being carried into effect for remedying
any nuisance injurious to health or other evils complained of in respect of
such other buildings;
in any such case, the medical officer of hoalth shall represent to the local authority
the particulars relating to such first-mentioned building (in this Act referred to as "an
obstructive building '") stating that in his opinion it is expedient that the obstructive
building should be pulled down.
I may say in reference to the above section, although I have
not yet made an official representation under this 38th section,
I contemplate doing so shortly.
The section dealing with small insanitary areas reads as follows:
Scheme for Reconstruction.
39.—(1) In any of the following cases, that is to say—
(a) where an order for the demolition of a building has been made in pursuance
of this part of this Act, and it appears to the local authority that it would be
beneficial to the health of the inhabitants of the neighbouring dwelling-houses
if the area of the dwelling house of which such building forms part were used
for all or any of the following purposos, that is to say, either—
(i) dedicated as a highway or open space, or
(ii) appropriated, sold, or let for the erection of dwellings for the working
classes, or
(iii) exchanged with other neighbouring land which is more suitable for the
erection of such dwellings, and on exchange will be appropriated, sold or
let for such erection; or
(b) where it appears to the local authority that the closeness, narrowness, and
bad arrangement or bad condition of any buildings, or the want of light, air,
ventilation, or proper conveniences, or any other sanitary defect in any
buildings is dangerous or prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants either
of the said buildings or of the neighbouring buildings, and that the demolition
or the reconstruction and re-arrangement of the said buildings or of some of
them is necessary to remedy the said evils, and that the area comprising those
buildings and the yards, outhouses, and appurtenances thereof, and the site
thereof, is too small to be dealt with as an unhealthy area under Part I. of
this Act,
the local authority shall pass a resolution to the above effect and direct a scheme to
be prepared for the improvement of the said area.