UBAR 17 URBAN DISTRICT OF BARNET. ANNUAL REPORT of the ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH to the BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL by ARTHUR L. HYATT, M.R.C.S.(Eng.), L.R.C.P. Together with the ANNUAL REPORT of the CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR by JOHN B. WILSON, M.S.I.A., M.R.San.I. 1949. (2) ANNUAL REPORT of the ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH to the BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL by ARTHUR L. HYATT, M.R.C.S.(Eng.), L.R.C.P. ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. (3) BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. Public Health Department, 31 Wood Street, Barnet. To the Chairman and Members of the Barnet Urban District Council. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have much pleasure in presenting to you my Annual Report on the Health of the District for the year 1949- It is drawn up on the lines indicated in Circular 2/50 of the 25th January, 1950 - as requested by the Ministry of Health. It is with regret that I record the passing of Charles W. Hill, who for 40 years was Chief Sanitary Inspector of this District. I found him the greatest assistance in my work and his advice was always sound and carefully considered. I am most happy to feel that Mr. J. B. Wilson, who had worked for some 14 years under Mr. Hill and now succeeds him, will be with me. STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA. Area (in acres) 4,290 Population (1931 Census) 15,064 Registrar-General's Estimate of Resident Civilian Population, mid 1949 24,450 Number of Inhabited Houses 6,777 Rateable Value £255,875 Sum represented (excluding Totteridge and Rowley £726 by a Penny Rate (excluding Totteridge £762 (including Totteridge and Rowley £1,047 NATURAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS. The population is largely residential, and consists chiefly of people whose occupation lies outside the urban area. Those employed in the district, apart from the tradesmen and their employees, are mainly skilled workers at dental manufacturing, lithographic, printing and optical works. (4) EXTRACT FROM VITAL AND MORTAL STATISTICS OF THE YEAR. Total. M. F. Live Births (Legitimate 352 169 183 (Illegitimate 21 10 11 Birth Rate per 1.000 of the estimated resident civilian population: .15.26 Total. M. F. Still Births (Legitimate 9 4 5 (Illegitimate Nil Nil Nil Still Birth Rate per 1.000 total (live and, still) Births; 23.56 Total. M. F. Deaths 280 145 135 Death Rate per 1.000 of the estimated resident civilian population (standardised); 11.34 Deaths from puerperal causes Puerperal Sepsis: Nil. Death Rate per 1,000 total births; Nil. Other Puerperal causes: Nil. " " " " " " Nil. Death Rate from Puerperal causes per 1,000 total (live and still) Births: Nil. Deaths of Infants under one year of age:- Total. M. F. Legitimate 8 4 4 Illegitimate Nil Nil Nil Death Rate of Infants under one year of age:- All infants per 1,000 live births: 21.45 Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births: 22.73 Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births: Nil Deaths from Cancer (all ages): 46 " " Measles (all ages): Nil " " Whooping Cough (all ages): Nil " " Diarrhoea (under 2 years of age): 1 GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE DISTRICT. The Council are not the appropriate Local Authority for the purposes of the National Health Service Act, 1946, and do not therefore control any of the Hospitals or ancillary services in the District, For information, the following is a list of Clinics etc. available in the District. At "Fieldways", Wellhouse Lane, a Child Welfare and Ante-Natal Clinic is held every Tuesday. A Tuberculosis Clinic is held every Wednesday at the Wellhouse Hospital. At Vale Drive, there is a Minor Ailments Clinic for Schoolchildren every (5) morning from Monday to Friday inclusive, a Speech Therapy Clinic on Wednesdays and Fridays, a Child Guidance Clinic on Thursdays and an Eye Clinic on the first, third andfourth Fridays in each month. These Clinics are subject to alteration and it is advisable to enquire of the Vale Drive Clinic (BAR; 6194) for the current days and times. Home Helps Service. The local office of the Herts County Council Home Helps Service at No. 31 Wood Street, Barnet, is open daily from 11 - 12 noon, Monday to Friday inclusive. PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF. Acting Medical Officer of Health. 0 x Arthur L. Hyatt, M.R.C.S.(Eng.), L.R.C.P. Chief Sanitary Inspector. + 0 Charles William Hill, M.S.I.A. (Deceased 14th December, 1949) + 0 John Baillie Wilson, M.R.San.I., M.S.I.A. (From 15th December, 1949) Additional Sanitary Inspector. fi Howard W. C. Alloway, A.R.San.I., M.S.I.A. Clerical Staff. One Clerk-Typist. Holds the special qualification as Inspector of Meat and Other Foods under examination of the Royal Sanitary Institute. Salary Contribution of one half from Exchequer Grants. Part-time Officer. WATER SUPPLY. The major area of the District is supplied with water from the mains of the Barnet District Water Company, and the remainder is served by the Colne Valley Water Company. All water supplied by the Barnet District Water Company is chlorinated. A pathological staff is maintained and the water is regularly tested at all stages. During the year, a total of 223 Chemical and 1689 Bacteriological examinations of the water were made by the Company's own staff and by an independent laboratory. Of the Bacteriological samples representative of supply, the percentage of (6) first class (i.e. Coliform organisms absent in 100 millilitres)was 98.3% which is regarded as quite satisfactory. The Colne Valley Water Company exercises constant supervision, and members of the staff are on duty day and night throughout the year examining samples. All the water supplied by this Company is chlorinated. The water supply is satisfactory both from the Chemical and Bacteriological aspects and the supply is considered adequate. DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE. The town is drained and sewered on the separate system, excepting the older portions of the district where it is a combined system. The sewage is conveyed to an Irrigation Farm of 56 acres, but before it is turned on the land it is screened and treated by means of detritus and sedimentation tanks, and three rotary filters. Pumping is necessary for three sewers which have their outlets at a low point on the farm. Part of the Totteridge area drains to the Finchley Borough sewers; in the outlying areas some properties are on cesspool drainage or domestic sewage disposal plants, and a few only have pail closets. SANITARY CONDITIONS AND WATER SUPPLY OF SCHOOLS. There are in the district ten schools administered by the South Herts Divisional Education Executive Committee, viz:- Queen Elizabeth's Boys and Girls Grammar Schools; Ravenscroft Secondary School; Byng Road School (Junior Mixed and Infants Departments); Christ Church School (Junior Boys and Girls, and Infants Departments)5 The Elizabeth Allen Secondary Modern School; Grasvenor Infants School; Underhill School (Junior Mixed and Infants Departments); St. Andrew's Church of England School (Junior Mixed and Infants Departments) and St. Catherine's Roman Catholic School (Junior Mixed and Infants Departments). Inspections have been made of the sanitary conveniences; proposals are in hand for the replacement of the last trough closet by individual water closets at Christ Church School, Alston Road, Barnet. (7) DISPOSAL OF HOUSE REFUSE, The house refuse is collected weekly in covered mechanical conveyances and conveyed to the Council's Sewage Farm, where it is loaded into Contractor's covered lorries and disposed of daily by a controlled tipping system outside the district. PREVALENCE OF. AND CONTROL OVER. INFECTIOUS DISEASE. The following table shews the number of Notifications to the Sanitary Authority during the year, of each disease specified in the Public Health Act, 1936, and the various Infectious Diseases Regulations, and the number of casee removed to Hospital DISEASE NOTIFIED REMOVED TO HOSPITAL Smallpox Nil Nil Cholera Nil Nil Scarlet Fever 23 16 Typhus Nil Nil Diphtheria and Membranous Croup Nil Nil Ophthalmia Neonatorum Nil Nil Erysipelas 3 1 Tuberculosis 37 18 Acute Poliomyelitis 3 3 Cerebro Spinal Fever 2 2 Acute Encephalitis 1 1 Polioencephalitis 1 1 Puerperal Pyrexia 10 10 Acute Pneumonia 2 Nil Enteric Nil Nil Typhoid 1 1 Dysentery 3 2 Measles 326 13 Whooping Cough 69 3 TOTALS 481 71 (8) Of the foregoing, the following cases normally resident outside the district were notified from the Wellhouse Hospital:- Dysentery 1; Puerperal Pyrexia 7; Measles 2; Cerebro Spinal Fever 1; Typhoid 1; Acute Poliomyelitis 3; Erysipelas 1. The cases of Tuberculosis removed are chiefly sent to Clare Hall and Ware Park Sanatoria. The Case Rates per 1,000 of the population are as follows:- Scarlet Fever 0.94; Tuberculosis 1.51; Puerperal Pyrexia 7.85 (per 1,000 Live and Still Births). AGE INCIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE. DISEASE NUMBER OF CASES NOTIFIED YEARS OF AGE 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 10- 15- 20- 35- 45- 65 Total Scarlet Fever - - 3 1 2 12 2 1 2 - - - 23 Cerebro Spinal Fever - - - - - - - 1 - l - - 2 Dysentery - - - - - 1 - - - 1 1 - 3 Typhoid - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 Acute Poliomyelitis - - 1 - - 2 - - - - - - 3 Polioencephalitis - - l - - - - - - - - - 1 Whooping Cough 3 5 9 10 9 29 - - 3 l - - 69 Erysipelas - - - - - - - - 2 l - - 3 Measles 14 23 52 25 42 152 9 3 5 - l - 326 Puerperal Pyrexia - - - - - - - - 9 l - - 10 Acute Pneumonia - - - l - 1 - - - - - - 2 Acute Encephalitis - - - - - 1 - - - - - - l TOTALS 17 28 66 37 53 199 11 5 21 5 2 - 444 CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE. No use has been made of the Schick and Dick Tests in Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever: (9) VACCINATION. No primary or revaccinations were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the Public Health (Smallpox Prevention) Regulations, 1917* TUBERCULOSIS. NEW CASES AND MORTALITY DURING 1949. YEARS OF AGE. NEW CASES DEATHS Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. 0 - - - - - - - - 1 2 - 1 - - - - - 5 1 1 - - - - - - 15 2 5 - 2 - - - - 25 4 6 - 1 - 1 - - 35 3 l - - 2 - - - 45 l 1 1 - - - - - 55 4 - - - 1 - - - 65 and over l - - - - - - - TOTALS 18 14 2 3 3 1 - - There were no cases of wilful neglect or of refusal to notify Tuberculosis in any form. PUBLIC HEALTH (PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS) REGULATIONS. 1925. It has not been found necessary to take any action under the above Regulations, relating to Tuberculous employees in the Milk Trade. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. 19^6. SECTION 172. COMPULSORY REMOVAL TO HOSPITAL OF CASES OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS. No action was necessary under the above Section. (10) MORTAL STATISTICS. Of 280 deaths, 8 occurred under one year of age. The following were the chief causes of death:- Heart Disease 94? Cancer 46; (.17 males and 29 females); Intra-cranial Vascular Lesions 42; Bronchitis 16; Pneumonia (all forms) 14; Nephritis 10; Tuberculosis 4; Road Traffic Accidents 2; Other Violence 5» SCABIES (PUBLIC HEALTH) NO. 1 ORDER. 1944. The following are particulars of cases of Scabies treated in the district. Adults. Schoolchildren. Under 5 years. Treated at Cleansing Station: 5 3 1 Treated at home: 2 1 1 TOTALS 7 4 2 I am, Yours faithfully, ARTHUR L. HYATT, M.R.C.S.(Eng.), L.R.C.P. ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. ANNUAL REPORT of the CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR to the BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL by JOHN BAILLIE WILSON, M.R.San.I., M.S.I.A. CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR. (11) (12) BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Public Health Department, 31 Wood Street, Barnet. To the Chairman and Members of the Barnet Urban District Council. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present to you my first Annual Report giving details of the work of the Department during the year 1949 • This report should have been over the signature of the late Charles W. Hill, whose demise in December 1949, shortly before his intending retirement, brought to an untimely close over 40 years service with this Council. I am glad to have had the opportunity of serving under him, and it is my endeavour to be a worthy successor. Many items of repair were effected to privately owned house properties during the year, but the deterioration of houses still continues, due in some measure to shortages of materials etc., but mainly because of the owners unwillingness to pay the current high cost of repairs as compared with the controlled pre-war rent which he is receiving. There have been some changes in the duties of the Department and these are noted in the appropriate sections of the report. ♦ INSPECTION OF DISTRICT. General Inspections of the District have been carried out periodically and all complaints investigated. The process of serving a preliminary or intimation notice upon the person in default, specifying the works necessary to remedy the defects found, is usually followed. It was found necessary to ask your authority to serve only thirty Statutory Notices, where persons failed to comply with the preliminary notice, or the strict legal procedure was necessary in the first instance. (13) SANITARY INSPECTION OF AREA. The following is a list of the number and nature of visits and inspections; On complaint or general inspection of district 247 Re-inspection of houses and visits to works in progress 1065 Visits to houses on notification of infectious disease 49 Disinfections after infectious diseases etc 26 Visits res revision of Tuberculosis Register 402 Visits and inspections under Petroleum Acts 49 Visits to factories 39 Visits to Outworkers' premises 15 Visits to dairies, cowsheds and milkshops 28 Visits to food manufactories, cafes etc 138 Visits to public halls, cinemas etc 10 Visits re: Overcrowding Survey 145 "Permitted Number" Certificates issued under Housing Act, 1936 135 Visits re: Civil Building Licences 11 Visits to inspect meat and other foods 94 Visits to Schools 19 Visits re; pollution of watercourses 75 Visits to Tents, Caravans and Sheds 39 Visits under Shops Act 179 Visits re: Animals etc,, improperly kept 75 Visits re: Rodent Infestations 73 Visits re: other infestations 36 Miscellaneous visits 104 NUMBER OF NOTICES SERVED DURING YEAR. Number of Informal Notices 203 Number of Formal Notices 30 Informal Notices complied with 165 Statutory Notices complied with 25 SANITARY WORK AND REPAIRS. The following is a list of repairs effected as a result of informal and formal notices served; Roofs repaired and made weatherproof 43 Gutters, Doi"nspouts repaired or renewed 29 Exterior brickwork repaired or repointed 12 Walls, dampness remedied 53 Chimney stacks and pots repaired or renewed 8 Yard surfaces repaired or repaved 2 Ceilings repaired or renewed 67 Wall plaster repaired or renewed 54 Walls and ceilings cleansed and decorated 104 Floors repaired or renewed 18 Sub-floor ventilation rectified 9 Doors and frames repaired or renewed 27 Windows repaired 86 Stair treads and balusters repaired 7 Fireplaces repaired or renewed 14 Coppers repaired or renewed 3 (14) Drains cleared 28 Drains repaired or reconstructed 44 Inspection chambers repaired or reconstructed 35 Soil or vent pipes repaired or renewed 9 Gullies, channels and fenders repaired or renewed 37 Water Closet pans, fittings, repaired or renewed 45 Sinks, waste pipes, etc., repaired or renewed 9 Storage cisterns, cleansed, repaired or renewed 7 Water services, repaired, renewed or re-instated 12 Dustbins renewed 7 Refuse accumulations removed 6 Animals and fowls.; nuisances from improper keeping 8 Rodent infestations treated 114 Other infestations treated 30 PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. 1956. INFECTIOUS DISEASE. INVESTIGATION AND DISINFECTION. Investigations have been carried out of the more important cases of infectious disease and twenty-six premises have been disinfected. Two hundred and sixty-nine library books were disinfected before return to libraries. During the year a revision of the Tuberculosis Register was effected with the result that approximately one hundred and ten names were deleted because of recoveries, removals from the district etc., leaving at the 31st December one hundred and sixty-three cases on the Register. Where necessary, relevant information was passed to the appropriate authority. DAIRIES. COWSHEDS AND MILKSHOPS. In the latter half of the year, various new Milk and Dairies Regulations were issued bringing into force earlier legislation. The control of dairy farms and dairy farmers is now vested directly in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in succession to the local and county council authorities. The local authority is still left with the registration and inspection of milk distributors and other dairy premises not directly connected with the production side, and licensing for the sale of Designated Milks. No fees are now payable for such licences. Dairy farms are not, however, eliminated from the list of premises which may be visited by the Public Health Department as the law regarding nuisances etc., remains unchanged. These Regulations are a further step in the long term policy of improving the general handling and bacteriological standards of milk. (15) Forty-three samples of milk have been taken, in course of delivery to the consumer, and submitted to the appropriate tests with the following results: Designation. No. of Samples Taken. Passed Test. Failed Test. Tuberculin Tested (Certified). 2 2 Nil Tuberculin Tested. 4 4 Nil Accredited. 5 4 1 Tuberculin Tested (Pasteurized). 8 8 Nil Pasteurized. 18 18 Nil Pasteurized (Homogenized). 1 1 Nil Sterilized. 2 1 1 Ungraded. 3 3 Nil TOTALS 43 41 2 Five Dealer's Licences and nine Supplementary Licences were granted for the retail sale of milk under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations, 193^ to 1946, viz:- Designation. Dealer's Licences. Supplementary Licences. Tuberculin Tested. 3 4 Accredited. Nil 1 Pasteurised. 2 4 PRIVATE SLAUGHTER-HOUSES AMD SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT. 19T5. Since Food Rationing was introduced the Private Slaughter-houses in the district, three in number, have been closed, meat rationing being more easily organised and administered from one abbatoir supplying a large area than from a number of small slaughter-houses in each district. It is doubtful whether these small private slaughter-houses will again be permitted to function. . There are eleven persons licensed by the Council as fit persons to slaughter animals, two more than in the previous year. These slaughtermen, although licensed by this Authority, work outside the district. No complaint has been received from the districts in which they work concerning the conduct of any of these men. (16) MEAT AND FOOD CONDEMNED. The following is a list of the articles of food condemned as unfit for human consumption during the year. Meat. Beef (Imported) 28 lbs. Beef (English) 48 lbs. Lamb (Imported) 2¾ lbs. Mutton (English) 25½ lbs. Bacon 24½ lbs. Beef Sausages 12 lbs. Savoury Sausages lO¾ lbs. Pork Cheese 18 lbs. Meat Pies 10 lbs. Chickens (Imported) 93 lbs. Corned Beef 54¾ lbs. Corned Mutton 12 lbs. Luxembourg Brawn 340 lbs. Miscellaneous 38 tins. Fish. Wet Fish (Skate, Whiting, Salmon 5 tins. Cod Fillets, Haddock, Herrings 8 tins. Coalfish, Herrings, Herring Fillets 24 tins. fish and Bream) 57 stones. Fish Paste 129 tins. Smoked Fish (Kippers) 4 stones. Miscellaneous 22 tins. Fruit. Oranges 356 lbs. Grapefruit 6 tins. Plums 23 tins. Peaches 17 tins. Pears 10 tins. Apple Puree 5 jars. Miscellaneous Fruits and Juices 14 tins. Vegetables and Cereals. Peas 55 tins. Baked Beans 56 tins. Tomatoes 11 tins. Tomatoe Juice 7 tins. Beetroot 11 Mixed Vegetables 10 tins. Barley Flakes 17½ lbs. Barley Flour 3 lbs. Semolina 3½ lbs. Wheat Flour 9 lbs. Breakfast Cereals 19 pkts. Spaghetti Pearls 13 pkts. Groceries. Sugar 4 lbs. Cheese 156 lbs. Milk 103 tins. Preserves 117 tins. Tea 9 lbs. Dutch Tea Cake 17 lbs. Coffee Extract 4 bottles.Meat Extract 10 jars. Cake and Pudding Mixtures 207 pkts. Marshmallow Cones 71 gross Fats 20¼ lbs. Soup 45 tins. Pickles 40 bottles .Soup 236 pkts. Salad Dressing 57 bottles.Sauces 16 bottle Rennett 3 bottles.Fruit Puddings 3 tins. (17) FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. 19^8. Those sections of the above Act concerning adulteration and sampling of foodstuffs are enforced by the County Authority in this district. The following details shew the number and nature of the samples taken in the Urban District of Barnet during the year, and the results of the analyses. Article. No. of Samples Taken. Genuine. Adulterated. t and Form of Adulteration. Milk 9 9 _ – Beef Sausage 1 1 10% deficient in meat content. + Sweet Spirits of Nitre 1 l - - Ground Ginger 1 l - - Baking Powder 1 l - - Salad Cream 1 l — - Paregoric 1 1 - - Apple Juice 1 l — - Sago 1 l - - Seed Tapioca 1 l - - Arrowroot 1 l — - Custard Powder 1 1 — - Spirits of Sal Volatile 1 l — - Oatmeal 1 l — - Curry Powder 1 1 - - Beef Jelly 1 l - - Meat Paste 1 l — - Peppermint Flavouring 1 1 - - Linseed Compound 1 l - - Lemonade Powder 1 l — - Concentrated Essence of Cinnamon 1 1 _ — Ground Nutmeg 1 1 - - Seidlita Powder 1 l - — Totals 31 30 1 See Below + + No proceedings were instituted against the vendor of this sample, but a warning was given. FOOD PREMISES. Following a meal taken by seventy employees at a local factory canteen some 40 were reported to have had symptoms of food poisoning. Because the symptoms were mild and of short duration patients did not call in a doctor and no official notification was therefore received. However, a full investigation was made and numerous samples submitted for analysis to the Public Health Laboratory Service, Colindale. The suspected vehicle of infection was meat and vegetable pasty made with meat cooked the previous day and allowed to cool overnight in the kitchen. A (18) particular strain of Clostridium Welchii was recovered in large numbers from remains of the minced meat and vegetables, and a similar organism was found in faeces from patients and staff. The source of the organism has not been determined. It mayhave been already present in the meat on arrival at the canteen, when the spores of the organism, having withstood cooking would grow-profusely overnight under the conditions of storage. Meat dishes should be cooked and eaten the same day or if this is impossible they should be stored in a refrigerator overnight in such a way that rapid cooling is encouraged. Increased attention has been paid to all premises where food is handled and prepared for human consumption, one hundred and thirty-eight visits having been made. From the advice given concerning the overall tidiness of such places, cleanliness and methods of handling, some improvements have been effected. It is not always realised that the ordinary domestic procedure in the kitchen, whilst quite suitable for the small family circle, is not of a sufficiently high standard when catering for large numbers of the public in cafes, restaurants etc. The attainment of the standard which should prevail is a process of education which has been carried on by Sanitarians for some years. During and since the war, the public has taken to "eating out" to a far greater extent than ever before, and we are now assisted in our work by their livelier interest which has developed in this subject. In December, the Ministry of Food issued copies of their Model Byelaws Series I, concerning "Handling Wrapping and Delivery of Food and Sale of Food in the Open Air", which will constitute a further aid. It remains, however, that the rigid enforcement of the law does not bring about the whole hearted co-operation of all sides of the food industry which is \necessary to reach the high standards desired. POLLUTION OF WATERCOURSES. Two major instances of watercourse pollution were traced and remedied, amongst others, during the year, The first concerned pollution caused by the absence of proper means' of drainage to a farmhouse and premises, and it was rie-cessary for the Council to use their Statutory powers to carry out the work of providing a sewage disposal plant in default of the owners. Action for the recovery of the costs, amounting to (19) £238.4.l0d., was in hand at the close of the year. Pollution of a ditch eventually draining to the Dyrham Park lake, was traced to the local Dental works, where several sinks and the washings from the plating department had been improperly connected to the surface water system. The work of disconnecting and relaying the drains was carried out by the company under the supervision of this Department. DRAINAGE. The drains of nine premises were found to be so defective as to necessitate reconstruction. Following receipt of a complaint, the "combined drain" serving six houses in Ravenscroft Park was tested and found to be defective. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Health Act, 193&, this work was carried out by the Council; the expenses amounting to £178.17.6d., being recoverable from the owners concerned. FACTORIES ACT. 1937. Fifty-four inspections of factories with and without power, and outworkers premises were made during the year. Three notifications of contravention of the requirements of the Act were received from H.M. Inspector of Factories. One instance of lack of proper sanitary ac-commodation was not complied v/ith owing to the premises being closed down. The other two notices concerned the dirty condition of sanitary conveniences, which were dealt with informally, as were other minor infringements of the Act, disclosed during inspections. MEANS OF ESCAPE IN CASE OF FIRE. Section 34 of the Act requires every factory in which more than 20 persons are employed to be certified by the local authority as being provided with such means of escape in case of fire for the persons employed therein as may reasonably be required in the circumstances of each case. At the instance of H.M. Inspector of Factories, three applications for certificates were received. A further two applications were made by the occupiers of the factories for revised certificates owing to material changes in conditions. These factories were inspected, and in three cases improvements were required. (20) Certificates specifying in detail the means of escape provided, together with particulars of fire fighting appliances, were issued to the occupiers after completion, where necessary, of the alterations. VANS USED AS DWELLINGS. The vans which entered the district for the purpose of attending Barnet Fair were in many instances visited in order to ascertain their sanitary condition, and to enquire as to any illness which might be of an infectious character. One case of typhoid fever was removed to hospital, shortly after arrival within the district. Disinfection was carried out and contacts kept under observation. Temporary sanitary accommodation was provided in different sections of the Fair for the use of the caravanners and public, and regular removal of refuse was arranged. HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ACT. 1935. Provision is made in this Act for the conduct and regulation of: (1) Hairdressers' and Barbers' Premises; (2) Swimming Baths and Pools, and (3) Employment Agencies. Hairdressers' and Barbers' Premises. The Council made Bye-laws for securing the cleanliness of these premises in 1937. There are seventeen such establishments in the district. No complaints were received concerning their cleanliness or conduct nor were any serious breaches of the Bye-laws noted during inspections of such premises. Swimming Baths and Bathing Pools. The only swimming pool in the district, viz, at "The Barn", Barnet By-Pass, is not now in use. Employment Agencies. Prior to the war there were four employment agencies in the district. These, however, are no longer in existence owing to the control of labour and it seems unlikely they will be started up again. (21) SHOPS ACT. 1934. Routine inspection of shops which was in abeyance during the war, was started last year and, as proposed has been extended, with 179 visits being made during this year. Informal action only was necessary to remedy the minor defects or deficiencies. RODENT CONTROL. On March 31st, 1949, the Council accepted the delegated powers of the Hertfordshire County Council under the Rats and Mice Destruction Act, 1919, and for a trial period, a partnership scheme was arranged with the East Barnet Urban District Council whereby one Rodent Operator was employed between the two authorities. In September the operator left the service, and the opportunity was taken by both authorities to review the situation. It was agreed, in view of the impending legislation which would come into force in March 1950, to dissolve the partnership scheme, and that each authority would make its own arrangements. A rodent operator is now employed for treatment of infestations solely in this district. A test bait was made of 10% of the soil sewer manholes in the district to ascertain the degree of rat infestation. During the year under review, one maintenance treatment of the sewers was carried out, in which it was necessary to poison 83 manholes showing evidence of rats. No charge is made for the use of the operator's servicæ in treating private domestic premises, provided that the occupiers co-operate in carrying out their duties under the Act. The cost of treatments at all other premises is recovered. PETROLEUM (REGULATION) ACTS. 1928 AND 1936. There are thirty-eight persons licensed to store petroleum and petroleum mixtures upon the Register. The Licences are for varying quantities from 10 gallons to 6,000 gallons. The total quantity of petroleum spirit and mixtures which may be kept in the various stores is 28,473 gallons. Forty-nine inspections were made, but there was no serious breach of the Regulations to report. One Licence was issued for the storage of 112 lbs. of Carbide of Calcium. (22) The scale of fees for Licences to Store Petroleum ranges from 5/- for a quantity not exceeding 100 gallons to £1 for 1,000 to 5,000 gallons. DISINFESTATIONS. Two Council houses and two privately owned houses were sprayed with a D.D.T. solution to eradicate bed bug infestation. An electric power sprayer has been used for these and other insect pests with success. The Council do not undertake the work of disinfestation for private house owners but give all facilities possible to assist them. I am, Yours obediently, J. B. WILSON. Chief Sanitary Inspector.