LIBRARY Duplicate PEN 24 PENGE URBAN DISTRICT. Annual Report OF THE Medical Officer of Health TOGETHER WITH THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Chief Sanitary Inspector 1946 Penge Urban District Council. Chairman: Councillor 0. E. Prince, J.P. Vice-Chairman: Councillor J. F. D. Dixon. PUBLIC HEALTH AND MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE. Chairman: Councillor G. H. E. Duffield. Councillor H. Allder, J.P. Councillor A. Emery. Councillor H. Chapman. Councillor F. J. Goatcher. Councillor E. A. Martin Clark. Councillor R. H. Jarvis. Councillor G. R. Deal. Councillor 0. E. Prince, J.P. Councillor A. E. Dubery. Co-opted Members: Mrs. 0. A. Dubery, Mrs. F. J. Goatcher, Mrs. H. V. Howell, Mrs. E. Jarvis, and Miss Fannie Moore. REPRESENTATIVES ON THE JOINT MATERNITY HOSPITAL COMMITTEE. Councillors H. Allder, J.P., G. H. E. Duffield, F. J. Goatcher, and 0. E. Prince, J.P.; and Dr. W. M. Penny and Mrs. E. Jarvis (Co-opted Members). PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. STAFF. *Temporary Medical Officer of Health: B. E. Hawkins, M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C.P. (Lond.). Chief Sanitary Inspector: R. T. Pearce, Cert.S.I.E.B. (Lond.). Cert. Insp. of Food, S.I.E.B. {Lond.). Sanitary Inspector and Shops Act Inspector: E. G. Thomas, Cert. R.S.I., Cert. Insp. of Food, R.S.I. Health Visitors and School Nurses: Miss D. Nicholson, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V's. Cert., T.A. Cert. (Senior). Miss E. P. Eldridge, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V's. Cert. Mrs. A. M. Clarke, S.R.N., H.V's. Cert. (Resigned 31 /7 /46). Miss E. M. Martin, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V's. Cert. Mrs. H. E. Dowdell, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V's. Cert. (From 1 /8/46). Clerks: *Miss A. G. Mitchell. Mrs. J. M. Maundrell (Temporary). C. W. Briggs [From 4/3/46) * Part-time Officer. 1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1946. Town Hall, Anerley, S.E. 20. June, 1947. To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I beg to present an Annual Report on the health of the district for the year ending the 31st December, 1946. It is compiled in accordance with Circular 13 (1947) of the Ministry of Health. STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA. Area (acres) 770 Population (Census 1931) 27,771 Civilian Population mid-year 1946 (estimated by Registrar- General) 22,980 Rateable value 1st October, 1946 £194,597 Sum represented by Id. rate £730 The Manager of the Employment Exchange informed me that there were fewer than 100 persons unemployed in the Penge Urban District at the end of the year, compared with 50 in 1945. The Out-door relief given during the year amounted to £\ 1,200 1 Is. 1 Id., of which £11 17s. Od. was to able-bodied unemployed and their families and the balance to the unemployable from age or other causes. This compares with an amount of £10,311, of which £36 was to able-bodied unemployed and their families, in the year 1945. VITAL STATISTICS. Birth Rate per 1,000 of estimated Civilian population, 25.80. Still-Birth Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births, 32.62. Crude Death Rate per 1,000 of the estimated Civilian population, 13.01. Deaths from Puerperal Causes :—Rate per 1,000 total (live and still births) : Sepsis—Nil; Other Causes—1.63. Death Rate of Infants under One Year of Age : All infants, per 1,000 live births 32.04 Legitimate infants, per 1,000 legitimate live births 30.70 Illegitimate infants, per 1,000 illegitimate live births 48.78 2 Births. The live births registered during the year numbered 593. This gives a live birth rate of 25.80 per 1,000 civilian population, compared with 22.48 for 1945. Still-Births. The number of still-births registered was 20, equal to a rate of 32.62 per 1,000 total births, compared with 41.00 for 1945. Deaths. The deaths registered during the year totalled 299, equal to a crude death rate for the year of 13.01 per 1,000 civilian population, compared with 12.44 for 1945. It should be noted that a large proportion of the deaths were of elderly people and of the total deaths, 200 or 66.8% were of persons 65 years of age and over, compared with 60.1% the previous year. Those dying at 75 years of age and over accounted for 43.1% of the total deaths. Cancer. The Cancer death rate per 1,000 civilian population was 2.22, compared with 1.65 in 1945. Maternal Mortality. There was one maternal death during the year, equal to a rate of 1.63 per 1,000 live and still births. There was no maternal death in 1945. Infantile Mortality. The number of deaths under one year of age was 19, corresponding to a rate of 32.04 per 1,000 births, compared with a rate of 40.38 for 1945. Of the 19 deaths, 5 died before reaching the age of one week from unavoidable causes. It is pleasing to record that this is the lowest rate since Penge became an Urban District in 1900. Comparative Vital Statistics. The following table shows the comparative figures for 1946. Rate per 1,000 Civilian Population Death Rate per 1,000 Civilian Population Deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live Births Live Births Still Births Penge Urban District 25.8 0.87 13.01 32 England and Wales *19.1 *0.53 *11.5 43 126 County Boroughs and Great Towns including London 22.2 0.67 12.7 46 148 Smaller Towns (resident populations, 25,000 to 50,000 at Census, 1931) 21.3 0.59 11.7 37 London Administrative County 21.5 0.54 12.7 41 *Rates per 1,000 total population. 3 GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA. Ambulance Facilities. A motor ambulance service for non-infectious and accident cases is operated jointly by the Penge and Beckenham Councils and co-operation is maintained with neighbouring authorities. The service responded to 780 calls from the Penge district during the year and is working satisfactorily. Infectious cases are removed by the motor ambulance from the Isolation Hospital. Maternity and Child Welfare Centre. The Maternity and Child Welfare Centre was held at the School Clinic, 17, Oakfield Road, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, and the AnteNatal and Post-Natal Clinic on Tuesday mornings and one Monday afternoon in every four weeks, increased on the 9th December to two Monday afternoons per month. There was again a marked increase in the attendances at the Centre during the year. Clinic Accommodation. The restricted accommodation at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centre continued to cause a certain amount of congestion. Towards the end of the year, consideration was given to the provision of a new Maternity and Child Welfare Centre and during 1947 plans were prepared with this end in view. Medical Officer's Consultations. 1945 1946 Infants 1,553 1,691 Nursing Mothers 386 466 Ante-Natal 931 1,530 Post-Natal 119 174 2,989 3,861 Health Visitors' Consultations. Children 6,759 8,852 Weighing of Children 6,432 8,421 Nursing Mothers 2,186 2,981 Expectant Mothers 634 1,124 Test feeds 177 227 Scabies 118 37 Miscellaneous 121 208 Total attendance of Children at the Centre 6,759 8,852 Individual children who attended 915 1,147 Average weekly attendance of children 135.1 171.3 Total attendance of Nursing Mothers 2,186 2,981 Individual Nursing Mothers who attended 236 331 Average weekly attendance of Nursing Mothers 43.7 57.7 Total attendance of Expectant Mothers 931 1,530 Individual Expectant Mothers who attended 317 449 Average weekly attendance of Expectant Mothers 19.7 29.4 Total attendance of Post-Natal Mothers 119 174 Individual Post-Natal Mothers who attended 99 149 Average weekly attendance of Post-Natal Mothers 2.5 3.3 4 Dried Milk and other foods for mothers and children are sold at cost price and during 1946, the receipts totalled £1,142 16s. 7d. Day Nursery. Up to the 31st March, 1946, accommodation at Nos. 214 and 218, Anerley Road allowed for the reception of 40 children 0—2 years, and 60 children between the ages of 2—5 years. As from the 1st April, 1946, accommodation was provided at 214, Anerley Road for 20 children 0—2 years and 25 children between 2—5 years of age, No. 218, Anerley Road being closed. The attendances were as follows :— Total Average Average daily 0—2 2—5 attendances daily attendance years years attendance (excl. Sats.) From 1 /I /46 to 31/3/46 (Open 77 days) 1,686 2,915 4,601 59.75 67.73 From 1 /4 /46 to 31/12/46 (Open 225 days 2,814 5,273 8,087 35.94 40.18 The highest daily attendance was 83 and the lowest 7. The Saturday attendances were well below the average for the other days of the week. The highest average monthly attendance (including Saturdays) was 66.58 in February and the lowest 28.04 in December. During November and December, the occurrence of Measles among the children resulted in decreased attendances. Sessions for the routine medical inspection of the children were held once every four weeks. Maternity Hospital. During the year, 241 Penge cases were admitted to the Penge and Beckenham Joint Maternity Hospital, Stone Park Avenue, Beckenham. The following table gives the number of mothers admitted annually for the last five years :— Year Total Cases admitted Penge Cases Beckenham Cases Other Cases 1942 570 119 447 4 1943 571 118 453 — 1944 373 84 277 12 1945 561 142 419 — 1946 882 241 641 — The average period spent in the Hospital during the year by each patient was 14.9 days. Maternity cases sent to the County Hospital, Farnborough, Kent, totalled 48. Midwifery Service. The Kent County Council provides and administers a domiciliary midwifery service in the district. 5 Health Visiting. Four Health Visitors and School Nurses were employed and the following shows the number of visits paid by them in connection with maternity and child welfare and tuberculosis. First visits to infants under one year 556 Subsequent visits to infants under one year 2,168 Children between the ages of 1 and 5 years 3,424 Expectant Mothers 619 Post-Natal Mothers 291 Tuberculosis cases 270 Foster children 62 Diphtheria Immunisation 481 Scabies 21 Measles 23 Whooping Cough 35 Home and Domestic Helps 167 Still-births 19 Miscellaneous visits 185 8,321 Child Life Protection. Number of foster parents on the Register : (a) at the beginning of the year 4 (b) at the end of the year 5 Number of foster children on the Register : (a) at the beginning of the year 4 (b) at the end of the year 5 (c) who died during the year — No legal proceedings were taken. Dental Treatment. Where necessary, expectant and nursing mothers and children arc referred to the Dental Surgeon for treatment and during the year this was done in 120 cases, compared with 84 cases in 1945. Care of Illegitimate Children. The Council is co-operating in the arrangements adopted by the Kent County Council for the care of unmarried mothers and their children, and grants toward the cost of their maintenance was made in three cases. Care of Premature Infants. Steps have been taken to implement the suggestions contained in Circular 20 /44 of the Ministry of Health. Arrangements have been made for Penge babies born outside the Joint Maternity Hospital to be admitted thereto when requiring institutional care. 6 During the year, 14 premature infants were born in the district. Born at home 12 Nursed entirely at home 10 Died during first 24 hours Nil Alive at end of one month 12 Born in Maternity Home 2 Died during first 24 hours Nil Alive at end of one month 2 Home and Domestic Helps. Part-time Home Helps are employed in connection with maternity cases and during the year their services were provided in 28 cases, compared with 14 cases during 1945. Domestic Helps were provided in two cases on account of illness in the families concerned. HOUSING. There were no houses or flats erected during the year. Fifty houses were converted into 147 flats. 1. Inspection of dwellinghouses during the year :— (1) (a) Total number of dwellings inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 966 (b) Number of inspections made for the purposes 1,020 (2) (a) Number of dwellinghouses (included in sub-head (1) above) which were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 and 1932 1 (3) Number of dwellinghouses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-head) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 936 2. Remedy of defects without service of formal notices :— Number of defective dwellinghouses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their officers ... ... 888 3. Action under Statutory Powers :— (a) Proceedings under Section 9 of Housing Act, 1936 Nil (b) Proceedings under Public Health Acts (1) Number of dwellinghouses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied 48 (2) Number of dwellinghouses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices :— (a) by Owners 40 (b) by Local Authority in default of Owners 8 4. Housing Act, 1936—Overcrowding :— The absence of the building of houses and flats during the war years, the destruction of and major damage to houses by enemy action and the natural increase in families, has accentuated the amount of overcrowding in the district. The Housing Officer reports that 150 families living in overcrowded and unsatisfactory conditions were re-housed during the year. 7 Water Supply. All the houses in the district are provided with a constant service of water by the Metropolitan Water Board, the water being examined bacteriologically daily by the Board. In addition, the County Pathologist reports that the samples of water submitted to him quarterly were good, Bacillus coli being absent in 100 c.c's. The majority of the premises are directly connected to the rising main. Six storage cisterns were renewed, cleansed or covered and in one case drinking water was supplied direct from the rising main. PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES. Diphtheria. Eight cases were notified compared with 24 in 1945 and all received hospital treatment. Seven of the cases had not been immunised. There were no " return " cases and no deaths. Diphtheria Immunisation. The following table gives the attendances, etc., during the year 1946. Under 5 years Over 5 years Totals. First inoculations 152 4 156 Second inoculations 126 3 129 Schick tests 64 8 72 Children who received complete course of Immunisation 126 3 129 Re-inoculations at 5 years of age — 17 17 Diphtheria Immunisation in Relation to Child Population. Number of children who had completed a full course of Immunisation at an}' time up to 31st December, 1946. Age at 31/12/46 i.e. Born in year Under 1 1941 1 1945 2 1944 3 1943 4 1942 5 to 9 1937— 1941 10 to 14 1932— 1946 Total under 15 Number Immunised 3 177 226 159 207 614 699 1,995 Estimated mid-year population, 1946 2,090 2,980 5,070 Scarlet Fever. There were 15 cases of Scarlet Fever notified (a; against 14 in 1945) and 12 were removed to Hospital. The disease generally was of a mild type. There were no deaths and no " return " cases. Scabies and Verminous Heads. The directions contained in the Ministry of Health Circular 2831 were carried out. Patients and contacts (other than school children) who attended at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centre for treatment for Scabies numbered 109 and received 293 treatments ; and 112 school children received 312 treatments. Persons affected with head lice totalled 107 (of whom 88 were school children) and they received 181 treatments. 8 Disinfection. Rooms fumigated 114 Mattresses disinfected 116 Blankets disinfected 167 Pillows disinfected 152 Miscellaneous articles disinfected 213 Bacillus Bacillus Bacteriological Work. found not found Diphtheria. County Laboratory — 12 Diphtheria Clinical Research Association 4 8 Tuberculosis. County Laboratory 9 ? Puerperal Pyrexia County Laboratory — 7 On the grounds of economy, copies of the reports on specimens sent to the County Laboratory by private medical practitioners which prove to be negative are not forwarded to local Medical Officers of Health. NOTIFIABLE DISEASES (other than Tuberculosis) during the year 1946. Disease Total Cases notified Cases admitted to Hospitals Total Deaths Scarlet Fever 15 12 — Diphtheria 8 8 — Pneumonia 12 15 (all forms) Erysipelas 9 2 1 Measles 230 2 — Whooping Cough 60 3 — Puerperal Pyrexia 2 2 — Prevention of Blindness. No action was taken under Section 176, Public Health Act, 1936. Tuberculosis. No action was necessary under the Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925, or Section 172, Public Health Act, 1936. Total Cases Total Primary admitted to Total cases notified Sanatoria and Deaths Hospitals Pulmonary (Males) 14 9 3 „ (Females) 18 16 6 Totals 32 25 9 Non-Pulmonary (Males) 2 4 1 „ (Females) 4 3 — Totals 6 7 1 Three of the 10 deaths from Tuberculosis were of cases not notified, all of whom died in Hospitals outside the district. 0 New Tuberculosis Cases and Mortality during 1946. Age Period New Cases Deaths Pulmonary NonPulmonary Pulmonary NonPulmonary M F M F M F M F 0—1 1 — 1—5 1 — 1 1 — — — — 5—15 — — 3 4 — — — — 15—25 1 8 — — — 1 — — 25—35 9 14 — — 1 2 — — 35—45 3 2 1 — — 2 — — 45—55 4 2 — — 1 1 — — 55—65 2 — — — 1 — — — 65 and upwards — — — — — — — — Totals 20 26 5 5 3 6 1 — *Cases previously notified in other districts and transferred to Penge and those restored to the Register are included in these figures. There were 181 cases of tuberculosis on the Register at the end of the year, compared with 157 in 1945. Male Female Total Pulmonary 66 84 150 Non-Pulmonary 15 16 31 81 100 181 Notifiable Diseases (other than Tuberculosis) during the year 1946. Cases Notified at ages—years Cases admitted to Isolation Hospitals At all ages Under 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 10 10 to 15 15 to 20 20 to 35 35 to 45 45 to 65 65 and upwards Diphtheria 8 1 — — — 2 2 1 1 1 — — — 8 Scarlet Fever lb — 1 2 1 1 2 4 2 — — — 12 Pneumonia 12 — — — — — 1 — 1 2 3 3 2 — Erysipelas 9 — — — — — — — — 2 1 5 1 — Measles 230 7 22 29 28 25 105 10 3 — 1 — — 1 Whooping Cough 60 12 9 6 10 8 14 — — 1 — — — 3 Pueaperal Pyrexia 2 — — — — — — — 1 1 — — — — Totals 336 20 32 37 39 36 124 15 8 9 5 8 3 24 Deaths of notified cases :—Pneumonia : One aged 67 years. Erysipelas : One aged 61 years. 10 BIRTH-RATES, DEATH-RATES, AND ANALYSIS OF MORTALITY IN THE YEAR, 1946. Rate per 1,000 Civilian Population Annual Death Rate per 1,000 Civilian Population Rate per 1,000 Live Births Live Births Still Births All Causes Typhoid Fevers Small-pox Measles j Scarlet Fever Whooping Cough Diphtheria Influenza Diarrhoea and Enteritis (under two years) Total Deaths under one year Penge U.D 25.8 0.87 13.01 — — — — — — 0.08 1.70 32 England and Wales 19.1 ♦ 0.53* 11.5* 0.00 0.00 00.0 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.15 4.4 43 126 County Boroughs and Great Towns including London 22.2 0.67 12.7 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.13 6.1 46 148 Smaller Towns (Resident Populations, 25,000 to 50,000 at Census, 1931) 21.3 0.59 11.7 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.14 2.8 37 London 21.5 0.54 12.7 0.00 — 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.12 4.2 41 *Rate per 1,000 total population. A dash (—) signifies that there were no deaths. My thanks are due to the Chairman and Members of the Public Health and Maternity and Child Welfare Committee for their cordial support during the year and also to the Staff of the Public Health Department for their ready co-operation. It gives me pleasure again to register my cordial appreciation of the work of the lady voluntary helpers at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centre. I am, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, B. E. HAWKINS, Medical Officer of Health. 11 CAUSES OF DEATHS IN PENGE URBAN DISTRICT, 1946. registrar-general's figures. Causes of Death. Males Females All Causes 130 169 1 Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers _ — 2 Cerebro-spinal fever _ — 3 Scarlet fever _ — 4 Whooping cough _ — 5 Diphtheria _ — 6 Tuberculosis of respiratory system 3 6 7 Other forms of tuberculosis 1 — 8 Syphilitis diseases 1 1 9 Influenza 1 1 10 Measles _ _ 11 Acute poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis _ _ 12 Acute infective encephalitis _ _ 13 Cancer of buccal cavity and Oesophagus (m) Uterus (f) 2 5 14 Cancer of stomach and duodenum 4 3 15 Cancer of breast _ 10 16 Cancer of all other sites 12 16 17 Diabetes 1 2 18 Intra-cranial vascular lesions 9 19 19 Heart disease 38 51 20 Other diseases of circulatory system 6 7 21 Bronchitis 11 7 22 Pneumonia 5 10 23 Other respiratory diseases 3 1 24 Ulcer of stomach or duodenum 4 1 25 Diarrhoea under 2 years _ 1 26 Appendicitis _ 1 27 Other digestive causes _ 3 28 Nephritis 5 2 29 Puerperal and post-abortion sepsis _ — 30 Other maternal causes _ 1 31 Premature birth 3 2 32 Congenital malformation, birth injuries, infantile disease 2 2 33 Suicide _ — 34 Road traffic accidents 3 — 35 Other violent causes 2 3 36 All other causes 14 14 Deaths of Infants under 1 year Total 7 12 Legitimate 6 11 Illegitimate 1 1 Live Births Total 314 279 Legitimate 295 257 Illegitimate 19 22 Still Births Total 11 9 Legitimate 11 8 Illegitimate _ 1 Civilian Population (estimated middle of 1946 R.G.) 22,980 12 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR for the Year 1946. Town Hall, Anerley, S.E.20. June, 1947. To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I have the honour to place before you the Annual Report of the work of the Sanitary Inspectors for the year ending the 31st December, 1946. There was a large increase in the number of complaints received regarding defects and nuisances in houses. Owing to shortages of labour and materials, repairs during the War years were confined mainly to the more serious defects. These shortages have worsened and combined with the restrictions imposed in the granting of Licences for repair and maintenance work, have resulted in many dwellinghouses in the district being in a poor condition. To prevent further deterioration it appears to be necessary to make available increased supplies of labour and materials for repairs to existing houses. In addition to verbal intimation of defects found in premises, 887 written informal notices and 52 statutory notices were served under the Public Health Act, 1936. Eight hundred and thirty-five intimation notices and 44 statutory notices were complied with. The Council did the work required by 12 notices served under Section 24 of the Public Health Act, 1936, respecting defective public sewers at 52 premises. The local authority also carried out, in default of the owners, the works required by six statutory notices served under Section 39, and two under Section 75 of the Public Health Act, 1936. Legal proceedings were taken in one case for failure to abate a nuisance. The Justices made an Order for the work to be done within 28 days and ordered Defendant to pay £3 3s. Od. costs. The Order was not obeyed and a further summons resulted in a fine of £3 Os. Od. and £3 3s. Od. costs. The owner then did the work. Proceedings were taken in one case for contravention of Sections 13 and 14 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. Defendant was fined £2 Os. Od. on each summons with £] Is. Od. costs. The drainage systems of 41 houses were partially relaid and 137 cleared of obstructions. 13 Premises or Occupations which can be Controlled by Byelaws or Regulations. No. in district No. of visits Notices served Notices complied with Common Lodging Houses 3 15 — — Houses Let-in-Lodgings 40 60 19 19 Dairies 5 30 — — Stables 17 33 3 3 Butchers' Shops 21 75 3 3 SUMMARY OF INSPECTIONS AND VISITS. The following summary shows the number of visits and inspections made:— Inspections through complaints received 997 Infectious diseases 87 Transferable deaths 103 Overcrowding and measurement of rooms 20 Houses let-in-lodgings and Common lodging houses 75 Bakehouses 36 Dairies and milkshops 30 Meat shops 75 Fish frying shops 12 Other food shops, stores and stalls 455 Urinals 25 Stables and piggeries 33 Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act 512 Factories 81 Shops Acts 170 Schools 16 Inspections and re-inspections of work in hand 1,860 Miscellaneous visits 174 Drain tests 71 SUMMARY OF WORK EXECUTED DURING THE YEAR. Water Supply:— Water supply re-instated to houses 15 Water services pipes repaired 59 Cisterns cleansed, covered or covers repaired 4 New storage cisterns provided 2 Provided direct from rising main 1 Water Closets :— New pans and traps fixed 88 Flushing apparatus renewed or repaired 60 Foul pans and traps cleansed 8 Connections of flushing pipes to pans made good 13 Seats and doors provided or repaired 14 Ventilation provided or improved 1 Walls repaired 6 Flooring or paving repaired 10 14 Drainage:— Drains tested with smoke, water or colour 71 Drains cleared 137 Houses re-drained 2 Houses with drains partially relaid 41 Inspection chambers constructed or improved 27 Soil and ventilation pipes fixed or repaired 15 Sinks, lavatory basins and baths provided 22 Waste pipes renewed or provided 16 Waste pipes repaired or trapped 42 Waste pipes cleared 24 Fresh-air-inlets provided or repaired 13 Dampness, Houses with :— Walls re-pointed or rendered 10 Dampness in ground floor rooms remedied 29 Roofs repaired 147 Gutters repaired or renewed 51 Rainwater pipes repaired or renewed 45 Ventilation under floors provided or improved 8 Water service pipes repaired 59 Window cills repaired 13 Cleanliness:— Dirty rooms, etc., cleansed 330 Verminous rooms fumigated 68 Miscellaneous:— Houses with defective floors, joists, etc., repaired 69 Houses with defective plaster repaired ' 112 Houses with new sash lines provided to windows 13 Houses with window frames, etc., repaired 30 Houses with yards or forecourts paved or repaired 6 Houses with scullery paving repaired 6 Houses with chimney stacks and pots repaired 16 Houses with air bricks renewed 13 Houses with stairs repaired 15 Houses with front steps repaired 8 Houses with fireplace jambs and mantels repaired 14 Houses with brickwork repaired 13 Kitchen stoves repaired or renewed 24 Scullery coppers repaired or renewed 4 Other stoves repaired or renewed 35 Doors repaired or renewed 17 Ventilation and lighting of rooms improved 6 New dustbins provided 284 Premises with miscellaneous defects repaired, etc. 22 Animals removed 10 Wasps nests destroyed 2 Accumulations removed 42 Manure receptacles repaired or provided 1 15 INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD. Periodical visits were made to premises and stalls where foods are prepared, stored or exposed for sale. Defects found at 23 food premises were remedied. The amount of food surrendered and condemned as unfit for human food, after examination by your Inspectors, was 8 tons, 17 cwts. 0 qtrs. 22 lbs. The items condemned were as follows :— Bacon 10,413 lbs. Meat and fish paste ... 58 jars Baking powder 72 pkts. Milk 6 pts. Beef 8 lbs. Onions ... 56 lbs. Butter 19 lbs. Oranges 54 lbs. Cake mixtures 11 pkts. Pickles 9 jars Cheese 9 lbs. Pudding mixture 36 pkts. Chicken 3 lbs. Rabbits 1,656 lbs. Cocoa 6 lbs. Rolled oats 96 lbs. Coffee 1 tin Sauces 2 bots. Coffee essence 2 bots. Sausage meat ... 20 lbs. Dates 1,095 lbs. Sausage rusk 1,792 lbs. Dried eggs 1 pkt. Soup powder ... 60 pkts. Eggs 25 Sugar confectionery ... 92 lbs. Fish 1,132 lbs. Tinned fish 47 tins Flour 419 lbs. Tinned fruit 10 tins Jam 36 lbs. Tinned meat ... 607 tins Lamb 51 lbs. Tinned meat and veg. 40 tins Lemon curd 3 jars Tinned milk ... 347 tins Macaroni 12 lbs. Tinned soup ... 3 tins Margarine 1 lb. Tinned vegetables 113 tins Meat extract ... 1 bot. Condemnations certificates totalled 304. The following Licences were issued under the Milk (Special Designations) Orders :— Dealers Licences:— Tuberculin tested milk 1 Pasteurised Milk 3 Supfilernentary Licences :—Tuberculin tested milk 5 Pasteurised Milk 6 Adulteration, etc. The Kent County Council's Inspector took 101 samples of various foods in this district, of which 99 were found to be genuine. One sample of whisky was adulterated with 13.6% of added water and proceedings resulted in the Licencee being fined £15 Os. Od. with £5 5s. Od. costs. One sample of pearl barley was found to contain a quantity of dead mites. The remainder of this stock was withdrawn from sale and a further sample of another consignment proved to be genuine, 16 Factories Act, 1937. Visits paid to factories totalled 81 and in addition to verbal intimations regarding small defects, 14 written notices were served and complied with. Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, and Infestation Order S.R.O., 1943. Complaints were received from various parts of the district and investigated. When considered necessary, the drains of premises were tested with smoke and any defects found made good. The foul water sewers were treated on two occasions during June /July and December/January, 1947, pre-bait and poisoned bait being laid in the manholes and side entrances. It is estimated that 1,820 rats were killed in consequence of these treatments. In September, a special scheme for the systematic inspection of all premises in the district in connection with rodent infestation was commenced, the Ministry of Food making a grant towards the cost. Additional staff were engaged and trained and the following gives the result of the scheme up to the end of the year :— Premises surveyed 5,042 Premises reported infested with rats 484 Premises treated for rats 434 Premises where rat poison bait was taken 347 Premises re-treated 342 Premises requiring treatment 50 Estimated number of rats poisoned 3,398 Number of bodies found 78 Number of rats trapped, etc 240 Premises treated for mice 116 The scheme was continued during 1947. The estimated number of rats killed up to the commencement of the special scheme was 916. The estimated total number of rats killed during the year was 6,374. I desire to express thanks to the Chairman and Members of the Public Health Committee for their ready consideration and support and to the Staff for their painstaking work during a very busy year. I am, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, R. T. PEARCE, Chief Sanitary Inspectorf