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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21 MAY, 1890. 59
To make good all defective gutters and down-pipes
and plastering of walls.
If these works be executed, it will not in my opinion
be necessary to demolish any portion of the said premises,
in order to remove the complaint contained in the
said report of the Medical Officer of Health.
I am, &c.,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) JNO. M. KNIGHT,
A Civil Engineer appointed to report
on the said premises under the
provisions of the said Act.
Vestry of the Hamlet of Mile End Old Town.
Vestry Hall, Bancroft Road, Mile End Road, E.
May 21 st, 1890.
To the Vestry of the Hamlet of Mile End Old Town.
Gentlemen,
Re 444, Mile End Road.
I have considered the report of the Medical Officer
of Health referred to me at your meeting held on the 7th
day of May, in respect of the house and premises known
as No. 444, Mile End Road, under the provisions of the
Artizans and Labourers' Dwellings' Act, 1868.
The complaint contained in the said report of the
Medical Officer of Health is—
That the roof is defective.
That the staircase is defective.
That the walls are damp and dilapidated.
That the floor boards are decayed.
That there is no ventilation under the floor boards.
The cause of the complaint contained in the said report
of the Medical Officer of Health is that the house was
originally constructed with defective materials, and in
such a manner as not to allow any ventilation or space
below the ground floor of the house, and partly owing to
its age and the result of natural decay.
The remedy for the evil complained of in the said
report is to take up the flooring and joists of the ground
floor, and to excavate the earth to a sufficient depth to
allow of the laying of a bed of concrete six inches in
thickness, six inches distant from the under side ot the
joists.
To cut out the footings and all decayed and dilapidated
brickwork and to substitute new. To put a damp proof
course above the level of the footings.
To lay new flooring boards in the place of those which
are decayed.

(5) That your Sanitary Inspectors reported that since the last meeting, the following works had been performed, viz.:

East.West.Total.
Number of houses inspected114146260
Notices served for sanitary works196786
Water supply provided to closets94655
Water supply for domestic purposes separated from that which supply the closets10010
Receptacles for dust provided404
Sink pipes disconnected from drains808
Accumulations of refuse removed314
Complaints received448
Requests for removal of dust0089
New drains constructed6612
Drains tested and found defective033
New closet pans and traps provided003
Houses disinfected066
Drains trapped033
Drains cleansed01111