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

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Rotherhithe 1870

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherhithe]

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Mr. Hobman also contracts for the supply of horses, harness, and drivers for the
Vestry's water carts. (For particulars of Contract see page 8,)
The pump well for watering, situate near the Ship Yard, Bickley Row, has been
deepened at a cost of £25.
Dusting.
Mr. William Etheridge, of Stanley Terrace, Rotherhithe, is the contractor for removing
the dust, ashes, &c., from the dwellings of the inhabitants, and out of the
parish.
The Vestry have also arranged with Mr. Etheridge that he shall, when required,
take and remove from mills, factories, and premises trade refuse, &c., upon payment to
him by the occupiers thereof at and after the rate of 2s. per load of one cubic yard, or
3s. per load of one cubic yard and a half of such refuse. (For particulars of Contract
see page 8).
Removal of Nuisances, Sanitary Measures, &c.
During the past year 192 Notices have been served in duplicate under the "Nuisances
Removal Act," upon complaints made by the Medical Officer of Health and
Inspector of Nuisances, 175 of which nuisances have been abated by removal of the
cause of complaint, 13 by the provision of proper drainage from the houses into covered
sewers, and in 4 cases the houses have been closed as unfit for habitation.
Disinfecting Apparatus.
The Vestry having received a letter from the Medical Officer of the Privy Council
urging (amongst other measures to be adopted to prevent the spread of Small-pox) the
provision of a place, and the necessary apparatus and attendance for disinfecting infected
articles and things, the Vestry, after careful consideration of the subject, accepted a
Tender from Messrs. Fraser Bros. for the erection of their Patent Disinfecting Chamber
and Apparatus in the stone yard at the rear of the Workhouse of this parish, for the
sum of £126, which apparatus has been erected and in use since March last. The
parishioners have the use of the before-mentioned apparatus for the disinfection of their
clothing, bedding, &c., free of charge, upon application at the Vestry Offices, 61, Paradise
Street, or to the Medical Officer of Health and Inspector of Nuisances.
The Medical Officer of Health, by direction of the Vestry, drew up a few practical
directions to meet or prevent, as far as possible, the spread of Small-pox, Fever, &c.,
which directions were printed and circulated throughout the parish.
Nine notices to make drains from dwelling-houses to covered sewers have been
served by order of the Vestry; in four instances the notices have been complied with
by the execution of proper drainage, and the remainder are standing over, the houses
having become unoccupied.
Slaughter House Licenses.
Fourteen notices were in September last received from Butchers and others of their

Sewers' Works.

The following lengths of pipe, sewer, and drain have been laid, viz.:—

18-inch pipe4 feet
15 ,, ,,222 „
12 ,, ,,358 „
9 ,, ,,480 „
6 ,, ,,540 „
4 ,, ,,66 „
Total1670 „

The following is a statement of applications made to the Vestry to drain houses and premises, and the results consequent thereupon.

Number of Notices received.No. of houses permanently drained into covered sewers.No. of New houses temporarily drained into Cesspools.Buildings and premises other than houses drained.House drains cleared.Total Number of Houses and Buildings inspected for drainage.
20375673103