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

Lewisham 1887

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]

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13
From this it will he seen that we are steadily adding year by
year to the number of flushing tanks, and this cannot fail to
improve the condition of the sewers. Complaints have been made
at timet of the smell arising from the ventilators of the Perry
Vale Sewer, and a great deal of attention has been bestowed upon
it During the year the, thermometers fixed in the connections
of the Forest Mill Brewery Co. with the Perry and Church Vale
Sewers were read 1791 times; and these sewers have been
frequently examined. An unusual amount of disinfectants have
been used in the sewers generally, and the cost of this and
flushing has been very much greater than in former years. The
following are the quantities of disinfectants used:—
Permanganate of Potash 19 cwts.
Sanitas Powder 131 tons.
Jeyes perfect Purifier 301 gallons.
Carbolic Acid 50 gallons.
Carbolic Powder 2½ tons.
The value of these disinfectants is £352.
The coke fire bus been continued in the ventilating shaft
Ivy Lane Sewer, with satisfactory result. The flushing
men have periodically gone through and cleaned the large sewers
vested in the Board and I do not hesitate to say the sewers are
now in letter condition than they ever were. The relaying of a
portion of the Peak Hill Sewer was completed.
PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS.
Throughout the year 1 have been engaged in preparing
reports, plans, and estimates, and compiling information, &c.,
relative to the proposed Recreation Ground for Lewisham; this
occupied a good deal of time, as different sites were considered
from time to time. At the beginning of November the Chairman
of the Board announced that the Metropolitan Board had determined
to lay out the Ground of the Ravensbourne site, since
which time that Board has been obtaining the necessary Parliamentary
powers, &c., to enable them to do the work.
In December the matter of the laying out the Penge Recreation
Gound was referred to the Recreation Ground Snb-Committtee.
I submitted three designs to them, one of which was
selected and appoved by the Board; and I have now the whole

Table: From the following Table may be seen the number of Houses sanctioned to be built and drained, and number of gullies, manholes, ventilators, and flashing chambers constructed in existing Sewers during the year:—

From the following Table may be seen the number of Houses sanctioned to be built and drained, and number of gullies, manholes, ventilators, and flashing chambers constructed in existing Sewers during the year:—

Locality.No. of Houses sanctioned to be Built and Drained.No. of Houses, &c., sanctioned to be Drained.No. of Addition to Building sanctioned.No. of Dwelling Houses and Public Building ,v completed with in the year.No. of Frontage Drain laid.No. of Gullies constructed in Public Road.No. of pipe Ventilator constructed in old sewer.No. of Manhole acting as Flushing Chambers and Ventilator conducted in old sewer.No. of self-acting Flushing Chamber constructed in old sewers.No. of small manhole acting as ventilators constructed adjoining flushing tanks.
Lewisham Pariah26955441851136219139
Hamlet of Penge491528461531721
Total318707223112893261510