SUR 18 BOROUGH 0 F SURBITON. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SANITARY INSPECTOR FOR THE YEAR 1948. BOROUGH OP SURBITON. PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE. Alderman A.G. Leach. (Chairman) Councillor Dr. 3.E.P. Gooding. (Vice-Chairman) Alderman Mrs. Woodgate Councillor C. Kenny Councillor I.P. Acford " J.W. Perkins " Mrs. Bidmead " H.W. Trickey " Mrs. Brazier " R. Unger " G.W. Dew " W. Young With the Mayor (Alderman W.E. Dommett) and the Chairman of the Finance Committee (Alderman E.J. Dowson) ex officio. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT - PERSONNEL. Medical Officer of Health (part-time) - NEVILLE H. LINZEE, M.R.C.S.,L.R.C.P.,D.P.H. Senior Sanitary Inspector. $ † - H.J. ELDRIDGE, M.R.San.I.,M.S.I.A. Senior Additional Sanitary Inspector. x ??? † - H. HANDSCOMB, M.R.San. I. Additional Sanitary Inspectors. x † - G.H. COCKELL, M.R.San.I., M.S.I.A. (Resigned 31.3.48) x ??? - W.H. GRAY, L.R.San. I., M.S.I.A. x † - R.E. HAINES, M.R.San. I.., L.J.I.A. (Appointed 1.6.48) x - P.E. WHITTON, A.R.San. I., M.S.I.A. (Appointed 11.10.48) public Analyst (part-time) D.D. MOIR, M.Sc., P.R.I.C. Rodent Officer. Senior Clerk. E.C. REEVE. E.D. ELMS. Clerks MISS V. CRYER. P.E. WHITTON. (Resumed duty with Corporation 20.7.48 from Ministry of Labour Training Course for Sanitary Inspectors. Promoted 11.10.48.) MRS. P.G. EKKEL MISS R.M. MADGWICK (Prom 6.1.48. Resigned 9.10.48) F.A. WHITE (Prom 8. 11.48) MRS. P.I. RATCLIFF (Resigned 5.1.48) MR. J. BOOTH. Disinfector and Mortuary Attendant. A.C. BALL. - Contributions made to salary from Exchequer. $ Sanitary Inspector's Certificate (Royal Sanitary Institute) x Sanitary Inspector's Certificate (R.S.I. & S.I.E.J. Board) † Certificate as Inspector of Meat and other foods. (R.S.I.) * Smoke Inspector's Certificate. (R.S.I.) ??? Certificate in Sanitary Science as applied to Buildings and Public Works. (R.S.I.) -2- ANNUAL REPORT OP THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1948. Public Health Department, 2, Sua 1st on Villas, Surbiton. July, 1949. To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Surbito Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am presenting my 27th Annual Report to which is atta the Senior Sanitary Inspector's Report. I again suggest that the Council should make provision of suitable housing accommodation for old people in the form of: hostels, etc. STATISTICS. Area (in acres) 4 Population (June 1948) Registrar General's estimate 58 Population (31st December, 1948) National Registration Office figure 60 Resident Population (Census 1931) 29 Estimated number of separate habitable dwellings (houses and flats) in the Borough at the end of the year.17 Number of new houses erected during the year:- (a) By local authority 220 (b) By other local authorities 48 (c) By private enterprise 49 (d) Rebuilt following destruction by enemy action 42 (e) Number of self contained flats provided by conversion (private enterprise) Nil (f) Number of units of accommodation provided by adaptation (by local authority) Nil Rateable value at 1st April, 1948 £6l3 Sum represented by a penny rate £2??? -3- EXTRACTS FROM VITAL STATISTICS Of THE YEAR. cased on National Registration Office population figure of 60,635 and on Public Health Department records). ??? BIRTHS: (Unadjusted figures) Male Female Total agitimate 294 (347) 292 (315) 586 (662) Illegitimate 3 (6) 7 (5) 10 (11) Birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population 9.82 (11.32) EATHS: (Unadjusted figures) 262 (267) 296 (291) 558 (558) ???rude death rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population. 9.2 (9.38) ercentage of total deaths occurring in Public Institutions and Nursing Homes. 42.29 (51.61) EATH RATE OF INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE; (Unadjusted figures) ill infants per 1,000 live births 26.84(40.11) legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births 23.89(39.27) Based on Registrar General's Population figure of 58,070 and on adjusted statistics supplied by the Registrar General) . LIVE BIRTHS: Ma1e Female Tota1 Legitimate 431 (560) 443 (499) 874(1,059) legitimate 21 (24) 20 (23) 41 (47) Birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population 15.54(19.03) England and Wales 17.9 (20.5) STILL BIRTHS: Legitimate 6 (13) 10 (8) 16 (21) legitimate ate per 1,000 total (live and still) births - (-) 2 (2) 2 (2) 19.67(20.37) DEATHS: 262 (263) 292 (292) 554 (555) Crude death rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population 9.41 (9.55) England and Wales (all causes) 10.8 (12.0) DEATH RATE OF INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE: All infants per 1,000 live births 17,48(24.41) Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate 16.01(24.55) England and Wales 34 (41.00) NOTE: The corresponding figures for 1947 are shown in brackets. -4- POPULATION The following table shows the population figure for the last 10 years:- Registrar General. National Register Office. 1939 49,607 1940 50,440 1941 48,470 1942 50,350 1943 51,150 1944 49,330 49,000 1945 50,660 54,624 1946 56,420 58,619 1947 58,110 59,452 1948 58,870 60,635 You will note that there is a great discrepancy between the figures and the Registrar's figures. For the purpose of statistic regards housing accommodation in Surbiton, it would be best to best on the National Registration Office figures as this seems to be m??? indicative of the number of People living in Surbiton. CAUSES OF DEATH DURING 1948. Male. Female All causes 262 292 Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers — - Cerebrospinal fever - - Scarlet fever — • Whooping cough - - Diphtheria - - Tuberculosis of respiratory system 15 7 Other forms of tuberculosis — 4 Syphilitic diseases 2 3 Influenza - - Measles - - Acute poliomyelitis and polio-encephalitis - - Acute inf. encephalitis - - Cancer of buc: cav: and oesoph (M) 3 - uterus (F) — 4 Cancer of stomach and duodenum 9 11 Cancer of breast — 18 Cancer of all other sites 36 34 Diabetes 1 - Intracranial vascular lesions 21 36 Heart diseases 88 80 Other diseases of circulatory system 11 18 Bronchitis 9 11 Pneumonia 9 13 Other respiratory diseases 3 2 Ulcer of stomach or duodenum 4 2 Diarrhoea under 2 years - - Appendicitis 1 - Other digestive diseases 5 10 Nephritis 6 4 Puerperal and post-abortive sepsis - 2 Other maternal causes - 4 Premature births 2 2 Congenital malformations, birth injuries,) infantile diseases ) 6 2 Suicide 6 2 Road traffic accidents 1 3 Other violent causes 10 5 All other causes 14 15 -5- INFANT MORTALITY There were 16 deaths of children under 1 year of age. Fourteen were legitimate and 2 were illegitimate. Of the infant deaths 11 occurred in hospital or public institutions outside the district of Surbiton. The ages at death were as follows:- One newly horn; one at 3 minutes; one at 1 day; one at 2 days; one at 3 days; one at 4 days; one at 5 days; one at 7 days; one at 2 weeks; three at 2 months; one at 10 weeks; one at 3 months and two at 4 months. The causes and ages at death of the children were as follows:- Asphyxia due to the inhalation of stomach contents into the air passages 2 months Pulmonary oedema 4 months Asphyxia neonatorum 3 minutes Broncho pneumonia 2 months Acute heart failure 4 months Prematurity 4 days Broncho pneumonia 10 weeks Pneumonia and prematurity 2 weeks Prematurity - Newly born Broncho pneumonia 3 months Prematurity 2 days Cardiac failure 2 months Broncho pneumonia 7 days Atelectasis 5 days prematurity 1 day Atelectasis 3 days INFANT MORTALITY RATE The following table shows the death rate of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births. YEAR SURBITON ENGLAND AND WALES (Smaller towns) 1939 50.98 40.0 1940 35.85 54.0 1941 54.20 56.0 1942 37.52 46.0 1943 32.56 46.0 1944 29.65 44.0 1945 34.28 46.0 1946 19.75 37.0 1947 24.41 36.0 1948 17.48 32.0 -6- PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER "INFECTIOUS DISEASE The South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board has kinds supplied me with the following figures for 1948. ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE TOLWORTH ISOLATION HOSPITAL FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1948. Diphtheria. Scarlet fever. Other Diseases. Surbiton — 33 45 Maiden and Coombe - 23 72 Esher - 24 72 Patients admitted from outside the Constituent District - 4 26 - 84 215 2 The 45 "other diseases" admitted to the hospital are as folio Whooping cough 3 Chicken pox 3 Measles 10 Tonsilitis 10 Pneumonia 2 Gastro-enteritis 2 Erysipelas 3 Mumps 1 Anterior poliomyelitis 3 Otitis media 1 Impetigo 1 Sinusitis 1 Infective hepatitis 1 Streptococcal throat 1 • Hemiplegia 1 Post nasal catarrh 1 Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage 1 -7- NOTIFICATION OP INFECTIOUS DISEASES DURING THE YEARS ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1939 to 1948. 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 Diphtheria 3 9 16 11 2 1 7 14 - - Scarlet fever 24 60 24 80 299 149 45 38 31 39 Enteric fever 3 - - - - - 1 - - - Paratyphoid fever - 1 - - - - - - - - Puerperal pyrexia 10 6 3 4 3 2 2 6 - 2 Pneumonia 37 45 46 14 34 25 23 17 16 16 Erysipelas 6 10 3 4 6 4 1 5 4 5 Poliomyelitis - - - - - - 1 1 19 2 Encephalitis lethargica - - - - - - - - 1 - Cerebro-spinal fever - 17 4 2 - - - - 5 - Ophthalmia neonatorum 1 4 1 2 1 1 - 2 - 2 Dysentery - - - 1 2 - 4 4 - 1 Malaria - - - - - 2 1 - - - Measles 1 839 327 433 323 1 212 775 429 170 591 whooping cough 4 6 369 65 176 52 90 48 108 157 Chicken pox 6 Total 91 1,003 793 616 846 449 950 564 354 815 -8- TOTAL CASES NOTIFIED TOTAL DEATHS At ages. At ages. 0 - 1 1-3 3 -5 3-10 10 - 15 15 - 25 25 - 45 45 - 65 65 and over Age unknown TOTAL Under 1 year 1 - 2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 35 35 - 45 45 - 65 65 and over Diphtheria Scarlet Fever 5 23 6 4 1 39 Pneumonia 2 2 3 7 2 16 5 1 1 3 12 Erysipelas 2 3 5 Cerebro-spinal Fever Ophthalmia Neonatorum 2 2 Puerperal Pyrexia 1 1 2 Measles 14 120 157 273 16 3 8 591 Whooping Cough 15 44 48 43 1 2 4 157 Poliomyelitis 1 1 2 • Dysentery 1 1 Note: Total deaths include Transferable Deaths occurring outside the District which are not included in the total cases notified. MASS RADIOGRAPHY Arrangements were made for the Mass Radiography Unit to visit Surbiton for a fortnight during December, and the result of the survey is summarised below:- Males. Females. Groups and General Public 534 650 Schools 422 267 1,006 917 Total attendance 1,923 Number of abnormalities found Males. Females. (diagnosed from miniature films and large films.) 80 64 Number of large films taken 59 65 Pulmonary primary arrested 17 24 Pulmonary post primary arrested 11 10 Pulmonary post primary ? active 1 9 -10- TUBERCULOSIS. Under the public Health Tuberculosis Regulations a register of all notifications is kept and weekly returns of cases are sent to the County Medical Officer. The continual movement of cases from one district to another requires constant supervision so that particulars may be brought up to date and represent a true record.  NEW CASES DEATHS Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Pulmonary Non-pulmonary M F M F M F M F Under 1 year - - - - - - - - 1-4 1 — - - - - - - 5-14 - 4 1 2 - 1 - - 15 - 24 6 4 - 2 1 1 - 1 25 - 34 19 10 - 2 3 1 1 - 35 - 44 14 7 - 2 3 2 - 1 45 - 54 5 1 - - 6 - - - 55 - 64 2 - 1 - . 3 1 - - 65 and upwards 2 - - 1 1 1 - 1 Totals 49 26 2 9 17 7 1 3 Of the 86 cases tabulated above, 23 are cases transferred from districts. The table shows an increase compared with last year of 11 pulmonary cases of tuberculosis, and the non-pulmonary cases show an increase c. The deaths show an increase of 8. At the commencement of the year there were 420 cases of tuberculosis on the register, and at the end of the year this figure had increased to 425. During the year 25 were notified as recovered from the disease, 27 patients left the district, there were 28 deaths and 1 case was notified as being non-tuberculosis. Of the 60 primary cases shown overleaf 11 males and 5 females were admitted to sanatoria. -11- At the end of the year 425 persons were shown to be suffering fro the disease and living within the district Pul. Non pul. Males 223 38 Pema les 131 33 Cases added to Register. WARD Primary Notification. Transfers, etc. Cases on Register 31st Dec. 1948. 1946 1947 1948 1946 1947 1948 Berrylands 10 10 6 3 1 4 53 Chessington 7 7 7 6 6 5 54 Hook and southborough 6 9 13 6 3 6 65 Seething Wells 3 4 3 6 4 - 38 St. Mark's 8 6 8 2 3 2 38 Surbiton Hill 5 6 6 1 2 5 43 Toworth East 6 7 4 1 4 2 52 Tolworth West 2 2 7 5 3 1 38 Tolworth South 7 3 6 4 3 1 44 Totals 54 54 60 34 29 26 425 Public Health (prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925 It was not necessary to take any action under these regulations during the year. Public Health Act, 1936, Section 172. No action was taken under this section. DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION. Treatments. Completed Incompleted. Children treated at clinic 623 - The division into children of school age and those under is:- Re-inforcement Treatments. doses. Completed. Incompleted Children of school age 148 50 - Children under school age - 762 - -12- VACCINATION. The number of vaccinations carried out in the Borough by the General Practitioners and myself from the 5th July to the 31st December, 1948, is as follows:- Primary. Re-vaccination. Medical Officer of Health. 36 4 General Practitioners. 109 41 145 45 Total 190 GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE AREA. Since the 5th July, 1948, when the new National Health Service Act, 1946, came into operation, considerable alterations have been made in the general provision of health services in the area, including ambulances, clinics, hospitals, etc. Laboratory facilities. Pathological and bacteriological examinations were made for the Corporation by the public Health Laboratory Service, Epsom, by the Clinical Research Association and Victoria Hospital, Kingston. During the year the following examinations were carried out:- Disease suspected. Nature of specimen. Result. Total Positive Negative. Diphtheria Swabs - 36 36 Tuberculosis Sputum 2 25 27 Scarlet fever Swabs - 2 2 . Venereal disease Smears - 2 2 2 65 67 SCABIES. No facilities for treatment of scabies exist in the Borough, hut arrangements have been made with the Kingston Corporation for Surbiton cases to be treated at the Centre at Burton Road, Kingston, on payment of the cost by the Surbiton Corporation. The charges agreed are 5/- Per treatment, and during 1948 twentysix cases were treated. SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA. Water Supply. The water throughout the district is furnished by the Metropolitan water Board, and is a constant supply of excellent quality. I am supplied with monthly reports by the Board giving details of their chemical and bacteriological examinations. All dwelling houses have a mains supply direct to the house. -13- Swimming Baths and Poo1s. Publicly owned baths. Surbiton Lagoon, situated in Raeburn Avenue, Surbiton, is an open air pool 165 feet long and 90 feet wide with a depth of 3 to 9 feet. The water is treated by continuous pressure sand filtration, sterilisation by breakpoint chlorination, and oxygenation over an ornamental cascade. periodical samples of water are taken by the Borough Engineer and Surveyor and the plant adjusted accordingly. In addition, check samples are taken by the Public Health Department for both chemical and bacteriological examination. NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948. A number of cases were referred to me by General Practitioners, but it was not necessary for action to be taken under Section 47. FACTORIES ACT, 1937. Prescribed particulars on the administration of the Factories Act, 1937. 1. INSPECTION for purposes of provisions as to health (including inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors). Premises. Number on Register. Number of Inspections. Written Notices. Occupiers prosecuted. (i)Factories in which Sections 2, 3, 4 and 6 are to be enforced by Local Authorities. 36 31 5 - (ii)Factories not included in (i) in which Section 7 is enforced by the Local Authority, 169 334 36 - (iii) Other Premises under the Act (excluding outworkers Premises.) 3 - - - Total 208 365 41 - -14- 2. Gases in which DEFECTS were found. Particulars. Number of cases in which defects were found. Number of cases in which prosecution were instituted Found Remedied Referred To H.M. Inspector By H.M. Inspector Want of cleanliness (S.l) 11 10 - 2 Overcrowding (S.2) 1 1 - 1 Unreasonable temperature(S.3) - - - - Inadequate ventilation (S.4) 1 1 - 1 Ineffective drainage of floors (S.6) - - - - Sanitary Conveniences (S.7) (a) insufficient 3 3 - 3 (b) unsuitable or defective 25 25 - 3 (c) not separate for sexes - - - - Other offences (not including offences relating to Outwork) 6 6 4 1 Tota1 47 46 4 11 3. Outwork (Sections 110 and 111) No. of outworkers in August list required by Sec. 110(1) (c) No. of cases of default in sending lists to the Council No. of prosecutions for failure to supply lists. No. of instances of work in unwholesome premises. Notices served. Prosed utions Wearing apparel (Making etc. Cleaning and Washing.) 29 Household Linen 1 Brush making 5 Carding, etc. of buttons, etc. 6 Cosaques,Christmas crackers, Christmas stockings, etc. 1 Total 42 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SENIOR SANITARY INSPECTOR. JULY, 1949. To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Surbiton. Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the work of your Sanitary Inspectors for the year ended 31st December,1948. This report is compiled in accordance with the directions of Ministry of Health Circular No.3/49. COMPLAINTS. (Excluding Council Houses). During the year 986 complaints were received with regard to the following matters, and were duly investigated Choked and defective drains 201 Insanitary or dilapidated condition of houses and premises 211 Dampness 55 Defective or insufficient W.C. accommodation 41 Defective water pipes or fittings 22 Withdrawal of water supply 1 Insufficient and defective refuse bins 13 Overcrowd ing 10 Offensive smells from various causes 30 Offensive accumulations 18 Nuisances from animals improperly kept 9 Unwholesome food 43 Infestation with bugs or fleas 17 Infestation with other insect pest3 40 Rat and mice infestation 225 Smoke nuisances 10 Flooding 5 Nuisance from cellulose spraying 1 Complaints re milk 2 Miscellaneous 32 Total 966 The number of complaints received In the Department during the past ten years was:- 1947 926 1942 482 1946 831 1941 347 1945 550 1940 411 1944 450 1939 183 1943 475 1938 265 16. INSPECTION OF DISTRICT. Number of dwelling houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health and Housing Acts) 400 Number of dwelling houses visited for other than housing defects 780 Number of visits to premises other than houses 1652 Re-inspections. 1508 Visits to works in progress 609 Visits to council houses 30 Visits re building licences 242 Visits re rats and mice 5857 Miscellaneous visits 1371 Total. 12,449 Included in the above are the following classified visits:- Visits to food premises 430 Visits to cowsheds 16 Visits to dairies 28 Visits to milk vehicles 20 Visits to ice-cream premises and vehicles 96 Visits to bakehouses 34 Visits to fish friers' premises... 10 Visits to factories 365 Visits to workplaces . 28 Visits to outworkers premises 50 Visits to schools 40 Visits to caravans 45 Visits re cases of infectious disease (including tuberculosis and food poisoning) 131 Smoke observations made 18 Shops Acts visits 18 Visits re.overcrowding 151 Visits to public conveniences 34 Interviews with owners, tradesmen,etc . 224 Visits re. Pood & Drugs Act 338 Visits to piggeries 8 TESTING OF DRAINS AND SANITAFY FITTINGS- Drains tested with water 99 Drains tested by other methods 28 Drainage systems exposed for examination under Section 48, Public Health Act.1936 1 17. NOTICES SERVED. Informal and verbal notices 440 Statutory notices under section 157, Housing Act,1936, to enter premises 8 Statutory notices under section 168 Housing Act, 1936, requiring information as to ownership of premises 2 Statutory notices under section 39, Public Health Act,1936, requiring drainage works in existing buildings 13 Statutory notices under section 93, Public Health Act, 1936, to abate nuisances 6 Statutory notices under section 277, Public Health Act,1936, requiring information as to ownership of premises 13 Licence to station a moveable dwelling (Section 269, Public Health Act,1936) 1 Licence to use a moveable dwelling (Section 269 Public Health Act,1936). 1 Statutory Notice under section 287, Public Health Act, 1936, to enter premises 1 Statutory notices under sections 48 and 287 Public Health Act,1936, to examine and test drains. 32 Statutory notices under section 75, Public Health Act,1936, to provide a sufficient dust receptacle. 14 Total - 501 DETAILS OF SANITARY IMPROVEMENTS ETC. EFFECTED DURING THE YEAR. (Excluding Council Houses), Drainage. Choked drains and sewers cleared 125 Defective drains repaired 55 Drainage systems partly re-laid 16 Drainage systems completely re-laid 7 Additional drains provided 13 Water Closets, etc. Additional provided 15 Cleansed or repaired 62 New pans fixed 34 Lighted, ventilated or screened 17 Flushing cisterns repaired or renewed 41 New cesspools constructed 1 Overflowing cesspools emptied 1 Pail closet abolished 1 Urinal provided 1 Sink, Baths etc. New fixed 20 Waste Pipes;etc. Repaired 9 New provided 7 Disconnected or trapped 2 18. Water Supply. Water re-instated 1 Service pipes and cisterns repaired,etc. 13 Paving. Yards newly paved 2 Yard paving repaired 12 Dust Receptac1es. New dustbins provided 33 Dampness. Roofs repaired 96 Gutters and rainwater pipes repaired or renewed 58 Damp course fixed 17 Ventilation under floors 7 External walls pointed or rendered 17 Walls treated with damp resisting material 44 Dry area provided 1 General Windows repaired or renewed 199 Rooms ventilated 15 Doors repaired or renewed 24 Floors repaired or renewed 52 Stoves and coppers repaired or renewed 37 Internal walls and ceilings repaired 284 Rooms cleansed 323 Handrails provided or repaired 6 Staircases repaired 7 Chimney stacks and pots repaired or renewed 18 Dangerous structures repaired or demolished 8 Accumulations removed 22 Statutory entries made in rent book 6 Nuisances from animals abated 1 Food premises cleansed 17 Smoke nuisance abated 1 Means of escape in case of fire put in order (factories) 3 Nuisances from offensive fumes abated 2 Miscellaneous 34 HOUSING. 1. Inspection of dwelling houses during the year:- (1) (a) Total number of dwelling houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts). 400 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 400 (2) (a) Number of dwelling houses (included under sub-heading (1) above)which wore inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations,1925 and 1932 10 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 10 (3) Number of dwelling houses found to bo in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation. Nil 19. (4) Number of dwelling houses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-heading) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit. 315 2. Remedy of defects during the year without service of Formal Notices:- Number of defective dwelling houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their officers. 298 3. Action under Statutory Powers during the year:- A. Proceedings under sections 9,10 and 16 of the Housing Act,1936:- (1) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs. Nil (2) Number of dwelling houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices:- (a) By owners (2 from previous year) 2 (b) By Local uthority in default of owners Nil B. Proceedings under Public Health Acts:- (1) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied. 3 (2) Number of dwelling houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices (a) By owners 3 (b) By Local Authority in default of owners Nil C. Proceedings under sections 11 and 13 of the Housing Act, 1936;- (1) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made. Nil (2) Number of dwelling houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders. Nil (3) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which Demolition Orders remained suspended (Circular 1866) 4 L. Proceedings under section 12 of the Housing Act, 1936:- (1) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were made. Nil (2) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were determined, the tenement or room having been rendered fit. Nil 20. OVERCROWDING. With the completion of the first group of post-war council houses, and the removal thereto of those families who were known to be living in the worst condit ions, serious thought was once more given to the whole problem of overcrowding. This subject had of necessity during the war years been almost ignored. Movements of people had been so continuous, most families had been unsettled in greater or lesser degree by the war, houses had been destroyed, and statistics were hopelessly out of date. It was known that the population was some 10,000 up on the 1939 figures, and accommodation was believed to be greatly overtaxed. There was moreover a waiting-list for council houses of over 2,500, and the problem presented some interesting and speculative features. I therefore decided that the time had come when attention should again be paid to the number of occupants of premises, and that cases of overcrowding coming to the notice of the Department should be recorded so that in due time a fairly clear picture of the true position might be available. Unfortunately, the time which could be devoted to this subject during the year under review was insufficient to elicit enough information for reliable conclusions to be drawn. A check was made at 157 houses from which sub-tenants had been rehoused by the Council to see if there was any tendency for such accommodation to be re-let and perhaps overcrowded. This revealed that in 81 houses the remaining occupants had "spread out" and utilised the vacated rooms in 74 houses re-letting had taken place without causing overcrowding, in 1 case the rooms were not again being used for habitation, whilst in only 1 case had re-letting taken place so as to cause overcrowding and this proved to be only a temporary arrangement which soon ceased. Investigations in other directions suggested that new cases of overcrowding were occurring by the influx of families from outside the district. This caused me some concern and I made a special report to the Council, pointing out the difficulties that were likely to arise if families were permitted to come into the district and cause new overcrowding to any degree. I suggested to the Council that the time had come for them to indicate that they were no longer prepared to condone newly-created overcrowding unless there were very exceptional circumstances. The Council supported me in this view and authorised me to take informal action to deal with any such cases, and to report them to the Council where I deemed it necessary. It is interesting to note that at the end of 1948 the National Registration Office population figure was 60,635 whilst the approximate number of "habitations" (houses,flats, etc,) was 17,000. This gives an average of 3.56 persons per habitation, but of course, to what extent distribution is uneven is not known and wrong inferences can easily be drawn. As already indicated the data so far available is inadequate 21. for the position to be judged with any degree of accuracy, but records are being built up which will in time enable us to see what is happening in the Borough. I am now calling upon landlords to see that rent books contain the prescribed information with regard to overcrowding and in particular the "permitted number" of occupants. This is a statutory requirement which has rather fallen into disuse during the war years. On the question of standard, there is no doubt that a house can be occupied to the point of discomfort and yet be within the legal overcrowding limit. The "permitted number" of occupants is assessed by measuring rooms in accordance with a prescribed formula and making use of certain tables, but as living rooms have to be taken into account the result is inevitably a figure which is disconcertingly high. On the other hand when premises are legally overcrowded it does mean that extremely bad conditions exist. When this standard was fixed in 1935 it was stated that it did not represent any ideal standard of housing, but the minimum which was in the view of Parliament tolerable while at the same time capable of immediate or early enforcement. It is to be hoped that the housing situation throughout the country will soon enable a standard to be set which is more in keeping with modern ideas of comfort and decency. In particular It is hoped that the child under one year of age will no longer be Ignored in counting the number of occupants, and that children under 10 will rank as a full unit instead of only one-half. DRAINAGE. The system of drainage widely adopted in this Borough in the past has permitted the connection of a number of house drains to a "common" or "combined" drain for the maintenance of which the various owners are jointly responsible. Frequent difficulties have arisen in connection with these combined drains when works of cleansing or repair have become necessary. The law relating to these drains is in itself complex, and the Council has had a number of debates on the subject. Without reiterating too much detail, the decisions reached in an endeavour to overcome the problems were (a) that in future, whenever possible, each house should be drained by a single pipe drain to the main sewer, and if in individual cases this is not possible, the number of houses drained by means of a combined system of drainage be limited to six houses, and (b) that the Senior Sanitary Inspector be authorised to undertake the cleansing of combined drains known as "private sewers" at the expense of the Town Council at the invitation of the owners concerned. During the year 88 combined drains were unstopped and cleansed by the Borough Surveyor's Department at my request. Two combined drains ("private sewers") were repaired by the Council and the cost of works recovered from the owners. In a third case proceedings had to be institixted to Recover from the owners the cost of works of repair carried out by the Council during the preceding year. 22. DUSTBINS. Section 75 of the Public Health Act, 1936, provides that a local authority who have undertaken the removal of house refuse may by notice require the owner or occupier of any building to provide such number of covered dustbins for the reception of house refuse as the authority may approve. Any person aggrieved by a requirement of the local authority to provide a dustbin may appeal to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction. Failure to comply with a notice renders the person in default liable to a fine, and the authority may provide the bin and recover the cost thereof. The ambiguous wording of this section has led to a number of appeal cases in the Courts in various parts of the country, but the decisions given have failed to clarify the position. It is obvious that each case must be decided on its merits, and whichever party the Council decides should be held responsible for providing a dustbin has the right of appeal againdt the decision. One such case came before the local Bench during this year, and the Magistrates reversed the Council's decision that the occupier should provide the dustbin. Having regard to the difficulties involved in fixing this liability, the Council directed the Borough Treasurer and myself to submit a report on the financial aspect of the operation of Section 75 (3) of the Act which enables a local author ity, sub ject to certain conditions, to themselves provide dustbins, making an annual charge not exceeding 2/6d. The Treasurer and I produced figures which illustrated that over a period of twenty years a scheme of this sort would not be self-supporting and that the losses in the earlier stages would be considerable. Furthermore, and perhaps of greater importance, were the foreseeable difficulties in the administration of the scheme, particularly the collection of the annual charges. We therefore felt that we could not advise the Council to undertake the provision of dustbins under the terms of the section at that time, and the Council concurred. I myself felt,however, that there was an alternative which was worthy of consideration. I was of opinion that the frequent disputes which were arising over dustbins were substantially due to the high cost thereof, and I therefore urged the Council to agree to sell dustbins to owners and occupiers on request at cost price plus 15% to cover establishment and delivery charges. would not appear to be a revolutionary procedure bearing In mirfd that the Council had to provide bins where the persons on whom notices were served made default and recover the cost thereof from those persons. Again the Council concurred, and towards the end of the year this procedure was set in motion. Two types of dustbin are held in stock and sold when required at 17/2 and 23/3 inclusive. It is too early yet to comment upon the success of the scheme, but already there are favourable indications. 23. DISINFECT ION . During the year disinfection was carried out at 30 civilian premises in which the following diseases occurred:- Anterior Poliomyelitis (or suspected) 8 Diphtheria (suspected) 1 Scarlet fever 5 Tuberculosis 15 Erysipelas 1 Disinfection was also carried out at 32 premises after cases of non-notifiable diseases, the occupiers in each case paying the cost. The total number of articles disinfected by steam at the Tolworth Isolation Hospital, or destroyed,was:- Disinfected Destroyed. Beds 7 5 Blankets 46 10 Bolsters 15 3 Counterpanes 6 - Curtains 1 - Cushions 7 - Mattresses 31 6 Mattress covers - - Pillows 67 13 Pillow cases 23 7 Rugs 3 3 Sheets 20 1 Towels 7 6 Wearing apparel 21 84 Miscellaneous -- 30 254 168 Number of rooms disinfected 50 Number of library books disinfected 73 650 sacks to hold fertiliser for export were disinfected with formalin at the Sewage Disposal Works. ERADICATION OF BED BUGS. 1. Council Houses Other Houses Found to be infested. Disinfested Found to be infested Disinfested 3 3 14 14 2. Methods employed for disinfestation. Council Houses Other Houses. Zaldecide 2 2 Paraffin - 1 Vermicine 1 10 Cimex - 1 For the convenience of the public a articles are and sprayers is held in the Department, and these articles are sold at cost price when required. 24. FACTORIES AND BAKEHOUSES. The total number of factories on the register at the end of the year was 208 (169 mechanical, 36 non-mechanical and 3 works of building construction). The businesses carried on at the respective premises were as follows Bakehouses 16 Laundries 7 Gleaners and Dyers 6 Tailors 7 Engineers (various) 31 Timber yards 2 Manufacture of office appliances 1 Chemical manufacture and hairdressing sundries 1 Cellulose spraying and coach building 2 Steel hardeners 2 Printers 6 Builders,Joiners and Plumbers 21 Boot repairers 11 Motor engineers 18 Stove enamelling and spray painting 1 Brickmaking 1 Fencing contractors 2 Concrete products 2 Machine tools 3 Instrument making 2 Metal work 4 Fur glove makers 1 Cycle repairers 3 Radio and electrical engineers 9 Battery repair and manufacture 1 Spectacle frame and lens making 4 Plastics 2 Dental laboratories 3 Paint manufacturers 1 Works of building construction 3 Manufacture of breathing apparatus 1 Aircraft components 4 Blind making 1 Cardboard containers 1 Manufacture of rubber tyres, etc. 1 Accordion making 1 Cosmetics 2 Wire works 2 Furniture making 1 Leatherwork 1 Miscellaneous 20 25. 399 visits were made to those premise's, and as a result, works were carried out to remedy contraventions as under:- Dirty workrooms 10 factories Overcrowding of workrooms 1 factory Inadequate ventilation 1 " Insufficient sanitary conveniences 3 factories Defective, dirty or inadequately lighted sanitary conveniences 25 " Moans of escape in case of fire not in order 5 " Miscellaneous 1 factory One certificate wa3 issued under section 34 of the Factories Act, 1937, that the factory to which it related was provided with such means of escape in case of fire for the persons employed therein as may he reasonably required in the circumstances of the case. Considerable changes have been taking place in the factories since the end of the war, and a lot of time was therefore spent in making inspections, and bringing them into conformity with the requirements of the Act. The revision of certificates as to means of escape in case of fire, and the granting of such certificates to new factories, has received particular attention. This work was still in progress at the end of the year and results will not become apparent until the report for 1949 is issued. There were 42 outworkers on the register at the end of the year. 50 visits of inspection were made but no contraventions found. On the 5th July 1948 the ambulance service was transferred to the Surrey County Council in accordance with the provisions of the National Health Service Act, 1946. Up to that date the Council maintained two ambulances (a Daimler 20 h.p. and a Talbot 18 h.p.) for dealing with accidents and private cases in the Borough. The personnel employed was two drivers and two attendants, and this staff maintained the service from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, During the hours 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. the service was provided by the British Red Cross Society under the terms of an agreement with the Council. In the period 1st January to 4th July the Council ambulances dealt with 183 accidents and 280 private cases, the mileage being 3,857. The British Red Cross Society dealt with 14 accidents and 71 private cases. AMBULANCE. 26. DAIRIES, COWSHEDS AND MILKSHOPS. There were twenty-five persons registered in accordance with the Milk and Dairies Regulations 1926-1943 as follows:- Cowkeepers 6 Retail purveyors of milk residing in the district 15 Retail purveyors residing outside the district but retailing in the district 4 Two of the Cowkeepers hold a Surrey County Council licence to produce Tuberculin Tested milk and one to produce Accredited milk. One farm is not at present being used for milk production, but is used in conjunction with two other farms for dry cows and young cattle. Dealers' licences to sell designated milk were granted under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations 1936-48 as follows:- Pasteurised milk 8 Pasteurised milk (supplementary) 2 Tuberculin Tested milk 7 Tuberculin Tested milk (supplementary) 2 48 samples of milk were taken during the year and submitted to the undermentioned tests:- Phosphatase Test Methylene Blue Test. Pasteurised milk 43 19 Heat-treated milk 4 1 Tuberculin tested (Pasteurised) milk 1 1 All samples passed the prescribed tests. The phosphatase test indicates that pasteurisation has been properly carried out, the methylene blue test is used to determine cleanliness and keeping quality. Mearly all the milk sold in the Borough is now pasteurised and the supply generally can be regarded as satisfactory. ICE-CREAM. Premises have been registered by the Corporation under Section 14, Food and Drugs Act, 1938, as under:- For manufacture,storage and sale 13 For manufacture, storage and sale but manufacture to be limited to ice lollies 2 For storage and sale, but not manufacture 67 During the year 62 samples of ice-cream were taken for laboratory examination for bacterial cleanliness, details being appended. 27. It should he noted that owing to the numerous factors governing the hygienic quality of ice-cream, and to the experimental error of the laboratory test itself, the Public Health Laboratory Service advises that it is unwise to pay too much attention to the bacteriological results on any given sample. Judgment should be based rather on a series of samples. It is suggested that over a six-monthly period, 50 per cent of a vendor's samples should fall into Grade 1, 80 per cent into Grades 1 or 2, not more than 20 per cent into Grade 3, and none into Grade 4. Thi3 was only the second year in which this method of examining ice-cream had been available, and it is recognised that the test has yet to prove its complete reliability. Nevertheless, it has already been found of considerable value in checking up on the cleanliness of ice-cream. The Sanitary Inspector needs laboratory support in his efforts to control the manufacture and handling of this commodity, and it seems that with the improvements and dependability which will come with experience, the test will meet a long-felt want. Efforts are being made to increase the number of samples taken in the Borough, and in order that records may be carried on from year to year, each retailer and manufacturer has boon given a code number. This reference will always be used in connection with those traders, so that their complete record throughout the years can be easily referred to. Each retailer from whom a sample was taken was supplied with a copy of the laboratory report, and a Sanitary Inspector visited the premises and gave advice where reports wore not up to the standard expected. Where manufacture took place outside the Borough copies of reports were also sent to the Sanitary Inspector for the district concerned. No samples of ice-cream were taken for analysis for fat content as no standard has yet been fixed. LAB. REF. NO. DATE SAMPLE TAKEN RETAILER WHETHER MANUFACTURED IN BOROUGH MANUFACTURER REPORT 5505 31. 5.48 A No PEL Grade III. Coli present 9030 17. 8.48 A No HOR Grade III Coli present 9703 1. 9.48 A No HOR Grade III. Coli and faecal coli present. 10117 15. 9.48 A No HOR Grade III Coli presont 10718 15. 9.48 A No HOR Grade I Coli absent 11431 20.10.48 A No HOP Grade II Coli present 5506 31. 5.48 B Yes PRY Grade III Coli and faecal coli present 5923 10. 6.48 B Yes PRY Grade II Coli present 6714 29. 6.48 B Yes PRY Grade IV Coli present 7510 13. 7.48 B Yes PRY Grade IV Coli present 10511 28. 9.48 B Yes PRY Grade I Coli absent 10510 28. 9.48 B Yes PRY Grade II Coli absent 11434 20.10.48 B Yes PRY Strawberry ice,Coli absent. Plate count 8695 10. 8.48 C No MEA 142,000 per ML. Grade I. Coli present 9706 1. 9.48 F No ADR Grade III Coli absent 8713 29. 6.48 G No PEL Grade II Coli present 28. LAB. REH . NO. DATE SAMPLE TAKEN RETAILER WHETHER MANUFACTURED IN BOROUGH MANUFACTURER REPORT. 10119 15. 9.48 G No PEL Grade III. Coli present 5507 31. 5.48 H Yes HEN Grade II Coli present 6716 29. 6.48 H Yes HEN Grade II Coli absent 8693 10. 8.48 H Yes HEN Grade III Coli present 5924 10. 6.48 J No WAL Grade I Coli absent 5920 10. 6.48 K Yes COW Ice lollie. Coli absent Plate count 35 per ML, 11432 20.10.48 K Yes COW Ice lollie, Coli absent plate count 20 per ML, 6715 29. 6.48 L No EZZ Grade III. Coli present 7511 13. 7.48 L No EZZ Grade IV. Coli present 8694 10. 8.48 L No EZZ Grade IV Coli present 9031 17. 8.48 L No EZZ Grade III Coli present 10120 15. 9.48 L No EZZ Grade I. Coli absent 6719 29. 6.48 M No IZZ Grade II Coli present 9033 17. 8.48 M No IZZ Grade II Coli absent 10512 28. 9.48 M No IZZ Grade I Coli present 7507 13. 7.48 N No IZZ Grade IV Coli present 8690 10. 8.48 N No IZZ Grade II Coli present 9704 1. 9.48 N No IZZ Grade IV Coli absent 10507 28. 9.48 N No IZZ Grade III Coli present 6712 29. 6.48 0 No PRE Grade I Coli absent 10508 28. 9.48 0 No FRE Grade II Coli present 8691 10. 8.48 P No IZZ Grade II Coli present 10509 28. 9.48 P No IZZ Grade II Coli present 11433 20.10.48 P No IZZ Grade II Coli present 6717 29. 6.48 Q No KRE Grade III Coli present 5508 31. 5.48 Q No KRE Grade II Coli present 10121 15. 9.48 Q No KRE Grade III Coli absent 9708 1. 9.48 R No SEL Grade IV Coli and faecal coli present 9709 1. 9.48 R Yes CAN Ice lollie. Coli absent Plate count 250 per I 10122 15. 9.48 R No SEL Grade III. Coli and fa« coli present 7508 13. 7.48 S No LYO Grade I Coli absent 8692 10. 8.48 S Yes HNW Ice lollie. Coli absent Plate count 20 per ML' 9705 1. 9.48 T No POP Ice pop. Coli absent, plate count 15,000 per 9028 17. 8.48 U Yes ROB Grade I. Coli preset 9707 1. 9.48 V Yes HAR Ice lollie. Coli absent Plate count 50 per ML 5504 31. 5.48 w No AIS Grade III Coli present 9027 17. 8.48 w No TUD Grade I. Coli absent 9029 17. 8.48 X No DAI Ice lollie. Coli ??? plate count 50 per ML- 5921 10. 6.48 Y No LYO Grade I Coli absent 6718 29. 6.48 z No LYO Grade I Coli absent 8697 10. 8.48 AB Yes WLD Ice lollie. Coli abse Plate count 2,400 Per 8696 10. 8.48 AG Yes WOO Ice lollie. Coli abse'Plate count 40 per ML 5922 10. 6.48 AD No WAL Grade I. Coli absent 7509 13. 7.48 AE No WAL Grade II Coli absent 9032 17. 8.48 AP No VIC Strawberry ice. Coli Plate count 900 Per ML. 7512 13. 7.48 AG No FER Grade II. Coli present 29. The following, is a summary of samples taken during the year for analysis by the Public Analyst. Sample Nos. Articles Analysed Adultcrated,below standard or improperly labelled. Formal Informal Total formal Informal Total 726 Sausage Teat 10 - 10 790 „ „ 793 „ „ 803/6 „ „ 825 „ „ 831 „ „ 838 „ „ 727) Beef Sausage 1 1 2 824) 728 Savoury Sausage 1 - 1 729 Chop Sauce - 1 1 - 1 1 730) 760) Tomato Sauce - 3 3 - 1 1 798) 731/2 Apple Pulp - 2 2 - 2 2 733 Tonato Ketchup - 1 1 734 Pure Castor Oil 1 1 735 Ground Nutmegs - 1 1 733 Ground White Popper - 1 1 . 737 Emulsified Cherry Flavour - 1 1 738 Zinc Ointment - 1 1 739 Smoked Herring Soread - 1 1 740 Pure Glycerine - 1 1 741 Baking Powder - 1 1 742 Sauce - 1 1 743 Yorkshire pudding oancake mixture - 1 1 744 Coffee - 1 1 745 Tonic food beverage - 1 1 746-751) 752-757) 765-770) 734-739) Milk 33 - 33 802) 815-7) 826-830) 758 Self—raising flour - 1 1 759 Ground Ginger - 1 1 761 Strawberry flavouring - 1 1 762 Glucose tablets - 1 763 Piccalilli - 1 1 764 Sherbert"suckers" - 1 1 - 1 1 771 Orange spread flavour - 1 1 - 1 1 772 Anadyne Linctus - 1 1 773 Bronchial Lozenges - 1 1 774 Jomato Ketchup - l 1 775 Couth Pastilles - l 1 776 Fruit flavoured Essence of Rennet - 1 1 777 Effervescent Drink powder - 1 1 FOOD D'U-Q ACrj , 1058. Sample Articles Analysed Adulterated,below standard or improperly labelled, Formal Informal Total Formal Informal Total 770 Chop Sauce - 1 1 779 Lemon"suckers" - 1 1 700/2 Lemonade Powder - 3 3 783 Sherbert ??? - 1 1 791 Sausages 1 - 1 792 Veg. and Cereal Sausage 1 - 1 794 Saccharin tablets - 1 1 795 ayonnaise - 1 1 796 Sandwich spread - 1 1 797 Beef & Tomato Paste - 1 1 790 Malt. etc .Bars 1 1 800/1) 807/3) Sago - 4 4 - 2 2 809 Meat Pie - 1 1 810 Coffee Chicory Extract - 1 1 811 Medicinal Liquid Paraffin - 1 1 812 Headache tablets - 1 1 813 Borax Honey - 1 1 814 Alcoholic Green Ginger Wine - 1 1 818 Light Ale 1 - 1 819) 820) Beer 3 - 3 823) 821 Whisky 1 - 1 822 Gin 1 - 1 832 Sweetened Dessert Powder - 1 1 833 Line Juice Cordis - 1 1 834 Coffee & Chicory Essence - 1 1 835 Malt Vinegar - 1 1 836 Salad Cream - 1 1 837 Fish Paste — 1 1 53 60 113 Nil 0 8 There were no prosecutions, samples was as follows:- Action taken on non-genuine 729 (Informal) Chop Sauce 730 (Informal) Tomato Sauce 731 (Informal) Apple Pulp 732 (Infor alj_ Apple Pulo Sample contained Sulphur dioxide 280 parts per million by weight. Sample contained Sulphur dioxide 150 parts per million by weight. Sample contained Sulphur dioxide 1700 parts per million by weight Sample contained Sulphur dioxide 1550 parts per million by weight. The above samples were taken to follow up informal samples 31. of sauce taken in 1947, which showed excess SOS. A warning letter was sent to the manufacturers of the sauce. It subsequently transpired that the manufacturers did not use S02 and the presence of this preservative arose from the apple pulp purchased from another firm. The matter was finally left in the hands of the Battersea Borough Council in whose district the factory belonging to the firm in question was situated. 764 (Informal) Sherbert 'Suckers' 771. (Informal) Orange Spread Flavour. 800/1 Sago. (Informal) The sample contained sugar and citric acid coloured and flavoured. Such an article is not of nature of sherbert. Enquiries showed that the description "Sherbert suckers" was not used by the manufacturers but the article was erroneously described in this way by the retailer. Ho was duly warned. The label did not specify the ingredients in the correct order, nor was one ingredient given an appropriate designation. A warning letter was sent to the manufacturers and in explanation they stated that this was old stock and that their attention had already been called to the irregularity and packages with amended wording were in use. Enquiry at the retailers confirmed that the stock was old and it was subsequently withdrawn from sale and returned to the manufacturers, Contaminated with moulds and unfit for consumption. On cooking in water the sago developed a musty taste and odour and a pronounced blue colour. Only a small quantity was found in a retail shop in the Borough and the wholesaler was traced to the Borough of Southwark. By arrangement with the Food Inspector for that Borough the sago was returned to the wholesaler so that the whole consignment could be dealt with there. FOOD PREMISES. Thirty three premises are registered under section 14, Food & Drugs Act,1938, for the preparation or manufacture of sausages, or potted, pressed, pickled, or preserved food intended for sale. Nine hundred and eight visits were made to these premises and to catering establishments and other food preparing businesses to ensure the maintenance of a proper standard of ygiene and to examine food-stuffs of all descriptions. 32. FOOD INSPECTION. The following foodstuffs found to be unfit for human food were surrendered by the owners, and either salvaged for animal feeding or destroyed. Article. No. of Containers. lbs. ozs. Reason for condemnation. Dog fish -- 641 - Decomposition Hake - 140 - „ Herrings - 490 - „ Skate - 904 - „ Bream fillet - 80 8 „ Plaice - 154 _ „ Haddock - 329 - „ Smoked fillets - 28 - „ Kippers - 98 - „ Cod - 670 — „ Witches - 84 — „ Mackerel 35 - „ Pouting - 70 - „ Lemon soles - 6 8 „ Conger Eels - 84 - „ Prawns - 56 — „ Whiting - 21 - „ Lobsters - 7 4 „ Mixed fish - 476 - „ Canned fish (various) 44 47 13 Blown or damaged Beef - 160 - Decomposition Beef - 3 14 Ammonia tainted Pigs Heads and Tongues (3) - 44 - Tuberculosis Carcase and offal of 1 pig - 180 - Not slaughtered - natural death. N.Z.Lamb trimmings - 102 - Black spot mould Brawn - 4 - Decomposition Bacon - 2 4 Ammonia tainted Kidney - 12 „ „ Rabbits - 842 - Decomposition Pork sausages - 32 - „ Poultry - 105 - „ Canned meats and soups 95 164 13 Blown or damaged Canned vegetables (various) 213 320 1 „ „ Canned fruit (various) 61 114 3 „ „ Sauces and Pickles 4 6 12 Broken jars Sauces and Pickles 66 60 — Sour Jam and Marmalade 42 99 4 Damaged container Eggs 91 11 6 Unsound or broken Dried Egg - 14 5 Deteriorated Dried Egg - 5 Contaminated by rats Cake and Pudding Mixture 23 8 2 Moth larvae Cake and Pudding Mixture 26 13 8 Contaminated by mice Rolled Oats - 56 — „ Cereals 2 1 4 „ Self-raising flour - 3 8 Damp and mould growth Soup powder 47 4 5 Weevils Cheese - 6 4 Deterioration Margarine - 5 2 Ammonia tainted Lard - 1 12 „ „ Butter — 8 „ „ Dripping 4 6 - Blown Cube sugar - 20 — Contaminated by mics' Dried figs - 16 6 „ Dates 19 38 - Deteriorated. 33 Article No. of Containers lbs. ozs . Reason for condemnation. Chocolate confectionery 4 56 - Deterioration and larvae infestation. Assorted confectionery 26 12 Glass contaminated Chocolate spread 10 10 — Deterioration and mould growth. Evaporated milk 169 156 11 Blown or damaged Pull-cream milk 3 2 11 Blown Dried beans 30 — Contaminated during burglary Potatoes 224 - Decomposition Sultanas 8 - Glass contaminated Canned pudd ings 3 2 14 Decomposition Meat and fish pastes 16 3 10 „ Macaroni 40 - Deterioration Salad cream 2 1 6 „ Macaroni cheese 1 1 - Blown Coffee & Chicory 1 10 Broken bottle Total 7433. 5 Pig Carcases Inspected and Condemned Number killed Number Inspected All diseases except Tuberculosis Whole carcases condemned Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned Percentage of the number inspected affected with disease other than tuberculosis Tuberculosis only. Whole carcases condemned Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned Percentage of the number inspected affected with tuberculosis 29 29 1 Nil 3.44 % Nil 3 10.34$ The number of persons holding licences granted by the Council under the Slaughter of Animals Act, 1933, to act as slaughtermen was two. 34. RATS AND MICE DESTRUCTION. The responsibility for disinfestation of premises rests by law upon the occupiers, and up to the 31st March, 1948, when occupiers requested the Corporation to carry out work on their behalf they had to meet the cost thereof. The scale of charges approved by the Council was 2/6d . per servicing visit which included labour, transport, traps, poisons and baits. Special terms were quoted for cases requiring long-term treatment. No charge was made for inspections and advisory visits. As from 1st April, 1948, the Council accepted the revised grant offered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Subject to compliance with certain conditions the grant is 50 per cent of approved net expenditure incurred by the Town Council on:- (1) Administration and maintenance of an organisation adequate for effective rodent control. (2) Treatment of sewers, refuse destructors, refuse dumps, and other "Local Authority" properties. (3) Treatment at private dwellings after deduction of receipts, if any, from occupiers. (It is left to the local authority to determine its position in relation to charging occupiers for treatment of infestations at private dwellings). Grant aid is not available in respect of expenditure incurred on treatment at commercial and industrial premises, and the full cost of the work must therefore be recovered from the occupiers. Ten contracts were in operation in respect of such premises during the year. The Council decided that after 1st April, 1948, no charge be made for treatment of infestations at private dwellings provided the occupiers take such steps as may from time to time be necessary and reasonably practicable for preventing their premises from becoming infested with rats and mice. This decision has considerably facilitated work on private property. Under the charging scheme there were constant disputes as to liability and one 'difficult' occupier frequently held up treatment on a block of property for long periods. 35. Now, immediately an infestation is found, treatment can proceed, and the figures which follow indicate the extent of the work carried out during the year. 1. VISITS. Private Dwellings Business Premises Corporation Property. Sewers. Totals Total number of visits. (a) Surveys. Re. complaints 200 17 8 225 Under Infestation Order,1S43. 334(534) 21 (38) 13 (21) 368 (593) No access, (re complaints) 55 — — — — 55 No access(re Infestation Order) 60 — — 60 Miscellaneous 64 23 3 21 117 825 (b) Treatments. First treatments - rats 1227 58 75 1360 - mice 46 21 8 75 He-treatments - rats 1047 311 149 1507 - mice 20 49 31 100 Miscellaneous 13 — 13 3055 Number of premises treated 433 88 53 574 (c) Sewers. Initial test baiting (249 manholes baited) 638 638 Annual test baiting (160 manholes baited) 329 329 (967) First Initial Treatment (77 manholes poison baited) 769 769 Second Initial Treatment (14 manholes poison baited) 241 241 (1010) 1977 5857 SURVEYS REVEALED. Premises infested with rats 270 21 17 308 Premises infested with mice 23 2 1 26 Not infested 241 (534) 15 (38 ) 3 (21) 259 (593) 36. 3. SEWERS. Test baiting of the Corporation's sewers was completed during the early part of the year. Areas 1,2,3 and 4, were tested during 1947. These"areas" are just a convenient geographical division of the Borough for the purposes of this particular work. Result of tests:- Area Number of Manholes test baited Complete takes Partial takes No takes. 5 23 2 2 19 6 83 22 3 58 7 19 1 - 18 8 68 6 — 62 9 56 5 — 51 249 36 5 208 The above results may be considered as very satisfactory because whereas on the first treatment 77 of the manholes treated, were found to be infested, the second treatment only revealed 14 infested manholes, a reduction of 82%. In April, the First Initial Treatment of the sewers was carried out, followed by the Second Initial Treatment in July, the results of the two treatments being as follows:- 1st Initial Treatment 2nd Initial Treatment. Area. No. Manholes pre-baited No.Manholes showing takes of pre-bait No. Manholes showing takes of poison baits. No.Manholes pre-baited No.Manholes showing takes of pre-bait. No.Manholes showing takes of poison baits. 1 — — — — — — 2 23 9 7 8 6 2 3 23 1 1 1 1 1 4 30 9 5 12 3 2 5 10 1 — 1 — — 6 92 31 9 29 3 3 7 3 - - — — — 8 18 13 5 13 1 — 9 19 13 4 13 - - 218 77 31 77 14 8 In December an annual test baiting of the Corporation's sewers was carried out, the results being as follows:- Area No. Manholes test baited No.of Manholes showing partial takes of pre-bait No.of Manholes showing complete takes of pre-bait No. of manholes showing no takes of pre-bait 1 8 Nil Nil 8 2 13 „ 5 8 3 12 „ 4 8 4 21 „ Nil 21 5 11 •„ „ 11 6 34 „ 1 33 7 9 „ Nil 9 8 25 „ „ 25 9 27 „ 3 24 160 Nil 13 147 This may be considered as satisfactory because with the exception of area 2, the majority of the remaining infested lengths of sewer are fresh infestations, those previously treated not being re-infested. 38. BUILDING LICENCES. During the year 276 applications for building licences, involving 242 visits to premises, were dealt with in the Department, and suitable recommendations made to the Borough Surveyor who is Licensing Officer, PUBLIC MORTUARY. During the year fifty-five bodies were received into the mortuary and fifty-five post-mortem examinations were carried out. As a result of difficulties which have arisen from time to time the Council decided to provide a refrigerator chamber during the coming year. CONCLUSION. The year under review saw the build-up of the staff to full establishment, and as the new officers settled down, the Department began to function with smoothness and efficiency. Arrears of work were tackled with energy, and I have good reason to expect that my next annual report will reveal an entirely satisfactory year's work. In February,1948, a Civic Exhibition was arranged by the Town Council in support of the Silver Lining Campaign, and opportunity was taken to stage an exhibit illustrating to the public various activities of the Department and to 'put over' general public health propaganda. I acknowledge with gratitude the help and support of my colleagues in other Departments as well as the whole-hearted efforts of my own staff. I should also like to refer to my very cordial relations with the Food Executive Officer of the Ministry of Food, and I am sure that the degree of co-operation achieved has been to our mutual benefit. I am, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, H.J .ELDRIDGE. Senior Sanitary Inspector. 39. I wish to thank all the members of my staff for their assistance during the past year. NEVILLE H, LINZEE. Medical officer of Health.