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41
Removal of Aged and Infirm Persons. Subject to certain safeguards,
power is given to the Medical Officer of Health to apply to the
Court for an Order for the removal to a hospital of an infirm person
living in insanitary surroundings. In all the cases brought to my
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notice, the persons concerned agreed voluntarily to their removal except
in one instance, in which an Order had to be applied for. The Order
was granted.
Swimming Baths. During the year the Council opened a new bath
complete with chlorination plant, and gave instructions that a similar
means of ensuring the purity of the water should be provided in connection
with the existing baths. The water is sampled from time to
time with a view to an estimation being made of its purity from a
bacteriological point of view.
Emanations from Sewers. During the summer various complaints
were received of noxious odours arising from certain manholes in the
London County Council's sewers. Some of these complaints referred
to possible injury to health, risk of " fever " and the like. While there
is an absence of scientific proof of the latter contention, there can be no
question that many people were seriously inconvenienced. It will be
recollected that, following upon a report by the Commissioners appointed
by the Secretary of State, in which the adequate and continuous
ventilation of underground cavities was urged, the London County
Council authorised the re-opening of certain ventilators upon their
sewers. With the advent of the hot and dry weather there was a
steadily increasing number of complaints of smell from these ventilating
manholes. Representations were made to the London County Council
with a view to securing the re-closing of those ventilators which were
the source of serious inconvenience.
Sewerage and Drainage. All drainage work except in new buildings,
whether done voluntarily by the owner or as a result of Notices under
Statute, is supervised by the Sanitary Inspectors. The drainage in
connection with 157 premises was reconstructed during the year, and
in 223 premises the drains were cleansed and amended. In addition,
455 repairs and improvements to drainage were effected.
Inasmuch as questions of drainage intimately concern the departments
of both the Borough Engineer and the Medical Officer of Health,
the former supervising drainage of new buildings, there is the closest
co-operation between the two departments concerned.