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

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Clerkenwell 1889

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Clerkenwell, St. James and St. John]

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108
two on the part of the Water Companies. The constant supply
exists throughout the Parish; hence we ought not to see so many
dirty faces and rooms as are constantly met with.
Infectious Disease Notification Act.—This important
Act became law on October 31st, 1889. It orders that
where any inmate of a house is suffering from small pox, cholera
diphtheria, scarlet fever or scarlatina, membranous croup, erysipelas,
typhus, typhoid, enteric, relapsing, continued or puerperal fever, the
medical attendant, also the head of the family, or other responsible
person in the house, is forthwith to notify the existence of the
disease to the Medical Officer of Health of the Parish. This Act has
cast great labour and responsibility upon the Sanitary staff, as it
involves the immediate examination of the conditions under which
patients are living; the question of the necessity of removal to
hospital; the sanitary condition of the dwelling, &c. It has,
necessarily made us acquainted with the existence of numerous
cases, which would otherwise have been overlooked, and so the
disease further spread about. 101 cases came to knowledge during
the last two months of the year, viz.: 53 scarlet fever, 23
diphtheria, 16 typhoid fever, 1 puerperal fever, and 8 erysipelas.
Sale of Horse Flesh. Act.—This Act, to prevent the
sale of horse flesh for human food, unless the fact that it is horse
flesh is distinctly denoted at the place of sale, came into operation on
the 29th of September, 1889. I have carefully gone over the distinctive
characters of horse flesh from beef, with the Sanitary
Inspectors, and may say that at present no case of such sale has yet
taken place in the Parish.
Inspectors' Reports.—The work performed by our attentive
and energetic Inspectors, is shown below:—
Wards 1, 2, 3 (Inspector Bartlett's District).
May 1889, to May 1890.
191 defective drains remedied: 82 of which were reconstructed.
Total length being 4,920 of 9ft. Gin. pipes.
162 new gully traps provided in lieu of bell traps.