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

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Wandsworth 1921

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]

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48
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1920.
313 applications for Certificates under the above Act were
received during the year. On inspection it was found that 288
of the premises were not reasonably fit for human habitation, and
Certificates were granted, and 25 premises were reasonably fit,
and Certificates were consequently not granted.
Of the 288 premises where Certificates were granted, 265
were rendered reasonably fit during the year, and the remaining
23 are in hand.
Rats and Mice Destruction.
The officer appointed by the Council to carry out the provisions
of the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, commenced duty
on the 23rd February, and from that date to the end of the year
he made 2,403 visits to premises where complaints had been
made of rat or mice infestation. 293 of the visits were in Clapham,
533 in Putney, 300 in Streatham, 388 in Tooting, and 949
in Wandsworth, and record was made of the destruction of
3,187 rats, 3G1 in Clapham, 676 in Putney, 350 in Streatham,
420 in Tooting, and 1,380 in Wandsworth.
During the year 60 drains, 13 in Clapham, eight in Putney,
five in Streatham, five in Tooting, and 29 in Wandsworth, were
found to be defective after complaint had been made of the
presence of rats on the premises.
It was found necessary to serve 11 notices on occupiers of
premises which were rat infested, and these notices were complied
with, but by far the greater number of occupiers carried
out the instructions of the officer with successful results.
Very few cases of mice infestation have been brought to the
notice of the Rat Officer.
Schools.
All the elementary Schools in the Borough were inspected
as usual, and the sanitary conditions found to be satisfactory.