ids stringlengths 36 36 | texts stringlengths 1 1.43k |
|---|---|
bdcaca7c-5dd5-4d4a-b182-ebc573569303 | Similarly, families with over 100 per cent, minimum accommodation are not overcrowded, and the greater the excess of accommodation over the minimum required by the overcrowding standard the higher the percentage. The following tables give the numbers of uncrowded and overcrowded families with the percentage of minimum accommodation : Uncrowded Families. Percentage of Minimum Accommodation. Number of families Percentage of total uncrowded families 1. 2 3 Over 300 2,412 14.61 Over 200 but not over 300 3,392 20.54 Over 150 but not over 200 5,725 34.67 Over 110 but not over 150 4,557 27.60 Over 100 but not over 110 112 0.68 100 315 1.90 36 Overcrowded Families. Percentage of Minimum A ccommodation. |
6a99949d-a589-4be6-965f-1fc71bafc387 | Number of families Percentage of total overcrowded families 1 2 3 Under 100 but not under 90 85 19.77 Under 90 but not under 80 147 34.19 Under 80 but not under 70 118 27.44 Under 70 but not under 60 47 10.93 Under 60 but not under 50 28 6.51 Under 50 but not under 40 3 0.70 Under 40 but not under 30 1 0.23 Under 30 1 0.23 From the first of these tables relating to uncrowded families it will be seen that a variation of the overcrowding standard which reduced the permitted number for a dwelling by 10 per cent, would increase the number of families who would be overcrowded by 427 or 2.58 per cent. On the other hand, this table shows also that 5,804 families have more than double the amount of accommodation required by the overcrowding standard. |
244c748c-4d02-4221-943d-f6075427acc0 | The comparison between the position of the uncrowded and overcrowded families can be effected in another way. From table " C " we can calculate the average number of units in an uncrowded or overcrowded family, and also the average permitted number per dwelling occupied by these classes. Such calculations give the following results:— (a) (b) (c) All families Uncrowded Overcrowded families families 1. Average number of units per family 3.19 3.13 5.40 2. Average permitted number per occupied dwelling 6.16 6.20 4.70 37 It is interesting to compare these figures with those obtained for the whole kingdom. For the whole kingdom they were as follows:— (a) (b) (c) All families Uncrowded Overcrowded families families 1. Average number of units per family 3.20 3.11 5.60 2. |
feb17b08-2ab8-4b1f-bfbd-4eddf3a1239a | Average permitted number per occupied dwelling 6.66 6.76 4.17 The incidence of overcrowding may be analysed in another way. In the following table are shown the number of overcrowded families of each size, and the corresponding percentage of the total number of families of the same size. It also gives the percentage distribution of overcrowding amongst overcrowded families of the various sizes. Size Distribution of Overcrowded Families. Size of family (equivalent no. of persons). Overcrowded families of the size in column 1. Percentage proportion which the number in column 2 bears to the number of all families of the size in col. 1. Number. Percentage of total overcrowded families. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1 2 .46 .19 1½ - - - 2 14 3.25 .30 2½ 15 3.49 .99 3 18 4.19 . |
d5c68490-80ef-48f5-9a45-1adc18cadfd3 | 50 3½ 46 10.70 5.19 4 45 10.47 2.17 4½ 18 4.19 3.38 5 35 8.14 2.09 5½ 57 13.25 17.92 6 58 13.49 10.88 6½ 18 4.19 12.16 38 7 35 8.14 14.89 7½ 18 4.19 23.68 8 17 3.95 21.52 8½ 17 3.95 50.00 9 4 .93 13.79 9½ 3 .70 42.86 10 4 .93 36.36 10½ 1 .23 50.00 11 4 .93 66.67 11½ — — — 12 1 .23 100.00 Total 430 100. |
bead6395-5a7b-49c4-8d35-c3cb5cb2b542 | 00 The above table shows that 33.6 per cent, or over one-third of the overcrowding occurred in families up to four units, while 21.8 per cent, of the overcrowding occurred in families of 7 units or over. Column 4 in the above table shows the proportion which the number of overcrowded families of a particular size bears to the total number of families of that size, and the figures show what a high proportion of large families is overcrowded. Overcrowding may occur among families of normal size, because for some reason, such as poverty, illness, or shortage of accommodation, those families cannot obtain an ordinary workingclass dwelling ; while in the case of large families, overcrowding is likely to occur because primarily the average working-class dwelling which is generally all they can afford is not large enough for them. Moreover, landlords and even local authorities, look askance at large families and accommodation is always difficult to obtain. |
7c6c8385-177b-4c26-83bc-7ef8bd088b15 | When the results of the Survey were considered by the Special Committee appointed by the Council, it was decided that certaies further information should be obtained concerning the overcrowded families, more especially as to the rent paid, whether the lettings were controlled or decontrolled, and the presence of lodgers.This further enquiry was carried out in August, so that approximately less than six months had elapsed since the survey for form " B" It was found that in the interval, 89 of the lettings had become un crowded. Of the 430 overcrowded dwellings, 217 were controller and 213 decontrolled, but included in the latter are the 20 Couned houses which were overcrowded, so that the real figures should be 217 controlled and 187 decontrolled. It is difficult to estimace 39 correctly the relative incidence of controlled and decontrolled houses in the district, but certain figures are available which may be useful. We know approximately the number of controlled houses of a rateable value of less than £20 a year. |
93dfd00b-7d24-47cf-bf91-0f46bcda7640 | Before October 1933, over 2,000 tenements had been registered by owners who claimed that their houses were decontrolled. Probably these did not represent all the decontrolled tenements, and applications to decontrol over 250 have since been made. There were in the district, according to the Abstract of Accounts for 1935-1936, a total of 4,932 private houses and tenements rated under £20 per year. It therefore appears that even of lettings under £20 a year, not more than half are controlled. The percentage of controlled houses rated at £20-30 a year is probably much smaller, though we have no figures concerning these. It may reasonably be assumed that a higher percentage of controlled houses were overcrowded than was the case of decontrolled, and the reasons for the overcrowding were different. |
4a2c3554-8ad7-4eb6-ba29-09854b598297 | In the case of the decontrolled lettings, the main reason was the high rent demanded, whilst in the case of a controlled, it was the low rent which accounted for a considerable amount of the overcrowding. Many of the controlled lettings had been occupied for some time ; in some instances, the tenants had occupied the lettings when they were married, and as the family grew they were loth to forego the advantages which legislation had so fortunately and unexpectedly placed within their reach. In a few instances, we found that the tenants could afford a bigger house, but of course the rent would be much higher ; in one case four boys and a girl were in work as well as the father. In most of the cases, though, the families could ill-afford the much higher rents which decontrolled flats would fetch. The low rent fixes the controlled tenant to his letting ; this was very obvious in the relative incidence of the abatement of overcrowding and the manner in which the overcrowding was abated. |
2c5fb683-6cb4-41c8-9e97-3c5806c528ed | Of the 39 one-roomed tenements overcrowded, 15 were controlled and 24 decontrolled ; 2 of the former had become uncrowded in six months, and 14 of the latter. One of the overcrowded controlled lettings became uncrowded because the tenant had sub-let one of the rooms at 13s. per week ; this sum was obviously excessive, and the sub-tenant could have had a reduction. The tenant probably knew more about the Rent Restrictions Acts than the sub-tenant, and to avoid trouble, had resumed possession of the whole tenement and abated the overcrowding. Incidentally we find many instances of controlled houses tenements which are sub-let, and the sub-tenant pays an excessive tent; it is not generally known that an apportionment of the rent of a controlled house if it is sub-let can be obtained on application to the Court. |
52e656cd-acdd-445e-a369-6c52b52b0550 | 40 The following table gives the incidence of overcrowding in controlled and decontrolled lettings, and the number of cases of overcrowding abated. Controlled. Decontrolled. Number. Abated. Number. Abated. 1 room lettings 15 2 24 14 2 „ ,, 62 6 70 26 3 „ ,, 109 8 77 26 4 „ ,, 26 2 34 4 5 „ ,, 4 — 7 1 6 „ ,, 1 — 1 — 217 18 213 71 Most of the four-roomed tenements which were overcrowded were Council houses, and this possibly accounts for the few instances where the overcrowding was abated; in most of the instances where overcrowding had been abated in decontrolled houses, this had been brought about through the removal of the tenant, either to another district or to some other house in the district. |
78540124-c013-4936-bdbc-74ae534f9c31 | Moreover, the rents of the Council houses approximate more closely to those of controlled rather than decontrolled houses, though the average rent of controlled houses is lower than that of Council houses for similar accommodation, that is, so far as size and number of rooms are concerned. In a Council house there are amenities which are not enjoyed in most of the controlled houses. It was not possible to obtain exact information in all cases, but the following shows approximately the average weekly rent paid for the different kinds of lettings. Controlled. Decontrolled. s. d. s. d. 1 room lettings 4 4 9 0 2 „ 8 9 13 6 3 , „ „ 10 9 15 6 4 „ „ 12 6 21 3 (exclusive of Council houses) The presence of lodgers and the practice of sub-letting were not important factors in overcrowding. |
30758ede-5a3d-462b-81ad-6eda92609f79 | In 6 instances the overcrowding was due to the presence of lodgers, and in 7 instances the 41 premises were sub-let but there was no sub-letting in the overcrowded tenement. For instance, there was overcrowding in 3 two-roomed tenements. These were part of a five-roomed letting but the tenant had sub-let two rooms to a sub-tenant, and the overcrowding was in these rooms. It would be more correct, therefore, to say that these were five-roomed tenements overcrowded because of sub-letting. In 74 of the overcrowded lettings, separation of the sexes was impossible. 22 of these were two-roomed lettings, and 46 three-roomed. Of the 74, 50 were controlled lettings, and 24 decontrolled. The cause of the relative frequency of this factor in controlled lettings is not far to seek. The rooms are secured by a husband and wife newly married. |
d4c444a4-a4e6-4834-8c9d-b329a99a2b11 | The rooms are not unpleasantly overcrowded when the children are young, but as they grow up there is no means to secure properly the separation of the sexes. Even if the rent of a decontrolled house could be paid, it is not to be wondered at that a certain hesitancy was observed to forego the advantages of a controlled letting. The difficulty of separation of the sexes was mainly observed in two and threeroomed tenements. Overcrowding in Council Houses. The information given on this head is contained in table " C " which shows the distribution of families in houses belonging to the Council. A total of 492 houses were inspected, and of these 26 were overcrowded, or a percentage of 5.2. The percentage overcrowded in the Council houses is twice as high as in the rest of the houses in the district. In the case of most authorities, the degree of overcrowding in their own houses is greater than in privately-owned houses. |
7cc11eee-34ef-4fe7-bf0d-b75d0e2bb3ca | In the whole of England and Wales the percentage of overcrowded families in houses owned by housing authorities was 5.l compared with 3.7 in privately-owned houses. In Middlesex there was a percentage of 4.9 overcrowded in Council houses compared with 2.2 in privately-owned houses. In almost all districts this phenomenon was observed. On the surface this is an unsatisfactory position, but the reasons are not far to seek. Local authorities in their provision of new houses, have, for the most part, erected houses suitable in size for the average working-class family, and the proportion of large houses erected has been comparatively small. |
fc239e06-7093-4d1b-bfac-eb5ae8fb896c | Of the 492 erected by the Council, 223 consist of houses or flats of a living room, scullery and three bedrooms, and 213 consist 42 of houses or flats of parlour, living room, scullery and three bedrooms Most of the former had accommodation for 6 units, but in a few instances, they had sufficient accommodation for the maximum of 7½ units allowed in a four-roomed letting. Most of the parlour type houses had accommodation for 8 units, but in some there was accommodation for 9½ and 10 units. From form " C " it will be seen that 179 of the Council houses had accommodation for 6 units, and 173 had accommodation for 8 units. An examination of form " C " also shows that with one exception overcrowding in the Council houses could be entirely obviated. |
5f31c78e-fe9b-46dc-9fb4-45bd743d2e1c | It is not, of course, suggested that this re-arrangement is in many cases practicable, as the rents of the parlour-type house vary from 19s. l0d. to 23s. 7d. per week, and it is a platitude to say that the larger the family the less able are they to afford the higher rents. Another reason for the relatively greater incidence of overcrowding in Council houses is the fact that most housing authorities have endeavoured to carry out their duty to deal with the worst housing conditions, and to give preference to large families unsuitably housed. Probably it would be true to say that the highest incidence of overcrowding in Council houses would be found in those districts which paid most attention to this aspect of their duty In one area the percentage of overcrowded families in Council housewas 48.4 but the total number of houses owned by this authority . |
99a2ca2e-1655-4daa-9b11-708a11a538bf | was insignificant, and too serious attention need not be paid to it, but even in houses owned by the London County Council the percentage of families overcrowded was 10.5. It has been pointed out that in housing schemes promoted by many Councils, the removal ' of overcrowding is not always the primary consideration. Even housing Committees look askance at large families, and enquiries are naturally made into the history of applicants, their ability to pay the rent, and the conditions in which their houses are kept. There may be good and sound reasons for this procedure, but it results in an outlook which differs from that of a public health committee, and the problem of overcrowding is relegated to the background In spite of this, housing authorities have taken as tenants the families with young children, that is, families growing in age and numbers who in course of time outgrow the accommodation available. The usual result of this procedure is to increase tIrrelative incidence of overcrowding in Council houses, but occasionally it has an entirely different effect. |
a7472d10-2904-4d7e-b618-98b8acda9bd2 | Table " C " brings out this latter 43 effect clearly. In the Council houses with accommodation for 4 units (living room, scullery and two bedrooms) we find as follows:— Occupied by 1 person each 4 , „ 2 persons each 8 „ „ 2 ½ persons each 4 In the 6-unit room lettings (generally living room, scullery and three bedrooms) the figures are:— Occupied by 2 units each 1 „ „ 21 units each 3 „ „ 3 units each 10 In the 8-unit room lettings (generally parlour, living room, |
53896858-92c3-4491-b2fc-09a321368668 | scullery and three bedrooms) the figures are:— Occupied by 2 units each 6 „ „ 3 units each 14 „ „ 31 units each 5 In the 9i unit room lettings : Occupied by 3 units each 2 „ „ 4 units each 4 The most common explanation of this state of affairs is that the houses in question have been in the same tenancy for a considerable number of years. When the houses were first let they were fully occupied, but in the course of time, normal incidents like removals, marriage and death, have reduced the number of occupants, and a change of tenancy might result in a hardship. I understand that the existence of these under-occupied houses in now being considered by the housing committees. |
80d4a3f5-85fe-4422-9925-f55f97a39b79 | The average number of units per family in Council houses is 4.7 compared with 3.19 in the 16,943 lettings surveyed, and the average permitted number in Council houses was 6.9 units compared with 6.16 in the rest of the district. The following table gives the average number of units occupied by the various sizes of families in Council houses ; this table may be compared with the table on a previous page which gives this information for the whole district, and the same remarks apply. A family would be just not overcrowded if the number of units in the size of the family were the same as the number of units of accommodation, and consequently excess of the numbers in column 2 over those in column 1 indicates the extent to which the average family enjoys accommodation in excess of that required 44 by the overcrowding standard. Similarly where the numbers in column 1 exceed those in column 2, the houses are overcrowded, and the excess shows the amount of overcrowding. |
fa650463-bf06-44ed-8f21-caf933f96e20 | Of the 32 families of over 7 units in Council houses, 23 are overcrowded. Average Unit Accommodation on Council Housing Estate. Size of Family. (Units) Average Unit Accommodation of Families of the size indicated in column 1. 1. 2. |
000f94a9-4bcb-49a7-858d-ae8907a078ee | 1 4.0 2 5.1 2½ 5.0 3 5.7 3½ 5.8 4 6.9 4½ 6.5 5 6.98 5½ 6.6 6 8.0 6½ 7.7 7 8.1 7½ 7.1 8 9.0 8½ 6.4 9 6.0 9½ 6.5 10 7.5 11 9.5 Number of Houses erected during the year:— (a) Total (including number given separately under (b) 57 (b) With State assistance under the Housing Acts :— (i) By the Local Authority (ii) By other bodies or persons 1. |
4e878f65-d759-4cf9-8c3b-38b9ca79f687 | Inspection of Dwelling-houses during the Year 1936 :— (1) (a) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 1951 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 4853 45 (2) (a) Number of dwelling-houses (included under sub-head(l) above), which were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 1367 (6) Number of inspections made for the purpose 3401 (3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation Nil. (4) Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding subhead) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 1841 2. |
097cb711-2c92-4f92-818c-3339c4331dfb | 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 1714 3. Action under Statutory Powers during the Year :— A.—Proceedings under sections 17, 18 and 23 of the Housing Act, 1930 : (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs 102 (2) Number of dwelling-houses which were ered fit after service of formal notices :— (a) By owners 102 (b) By local authority 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 25 (2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices:— (a) By owners 25 (b) By local authority in default of owners Nil. |
433a26b9-6a2b-48a5-a1b6-399f89585b96 | C.—Proceedings under sections 19 and 21 of the Housing Act, 1930: (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made Nil. 46 (2) Number of dwelling-houses demolished in 1935, in pursuance of Demolition Orders Nil. D.—Proceedings under section 20 of the Housing Act, 1930:— (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 teen rendered fit Nil. TABULAR STATEMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND DETAIL OF WORK CARRIED OUT BY THE SANITARY INSPECTORS. Number of Inspections and Action Taken. |
ed27a2d5-fb21-48e2-a061-3c6bd17e9634 | Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing delects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 1951 (1) Dealt with by service of Informal Notice 1439 (2) Dealt with by service of Statutory Notice under Section 17, Housing Act, 1930 102 (3) Dealt with by service of Statutory Notice under Public Health Acts 25 Premises (other than defective dwelling houses) inspected for nuisances and miscellaneous defects 710 (1) Dealt with by service of Informal Notice 597 (2) Dealt with by service of Statutory Notice under Public Health Act, &c. 31 Reinspections subsequent to service of Notice 7012 Inspection after notification of Infectious Disease . 104 Number of Premises under Periodical Inspection. |
fb7bb48e-ec3c-472a-bf6a-0f87abbdb03d | Workshops and Workplaces 122 Bakehouses 34 Slaughterhouses 2 Public House Urinals 37 Common Lodging Houses 1 47 Butchers'Shops 41 Fish Shops 34 Premises where food is manufactured or prepared 35 Milk Purveyors 128 Cowsheds Nil. Piggreries Nil. Rag and Bone Dealers 7 Mews 4 Schools 13 Caravan Grounds 3 Rent Restriction Act. Number of Certificates granted 17 Detail of Work carried out. Sanitary Dustbins provided 443 Yards paved or yard paving repaired 130 Insanitary forecourts remedied 35 Defective drains repaired or reconstructed 121 Defective soil pipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed 56 Defective fresh air inlets repaired or renewed 84 Defective gullies removed and replaced by new 35 Rain water downpipes disconnected from drain 19 Dishing and curb to gullies repaired and new grating fixed 141 Defective W.C. |
85508d65-3a88-4f44-99f6-f85b13a76cb4 | pan and traps removed and replaced by new 123 Infective W.C. flushing apparatus repaired or new fixed 436 Defective W.C. seats repaired or new fixed 236 Infective flush pipe connections repaired 131 Ir^anitary sinks removed or new fixed 72 Sink waste pipes repaired or trapped 187 Insanitary wall surface over sinks remedied 148 Ventilated food cupboards provided 12 Drinking water cisterns cleaned 379 Defective covers, to drinking water cisterns repaired or new fixed 161 Insanitary sites beneath floors concreted 15 Spaces beneath floors ventilated 171 Dampness in walls from defective damp-proof course remedied 152 Dampness from defective roof, rain water gutterings, &c. |
81ef268c-6659-4fcb-903f-8752f345d81b | remedied 995 Dective plastering repaired (number of rooms) 689 Rooms where dirty walls and ceilings have been cleansed and redecorated 2629 Defective floors repaired 196 48 Defective or dangerous stairs repaired 65 Defective doors and windows repaired 653 Defective kitchen ranges and fire grates repaired 397 Defective washing coppers repaired 73 Coal cupboards provided or repaired 29 New W.C. apartments provided 11 Accumulations of offensive matter removed 18 Drains unstopped and cleansed 233 Overcrowding nuisances abated 8 Drains tested, exposed for examination &e. 57 Smoke observations taken 156 Smoke nuisance abated on service of notice 68 Nuisances from animals abated 7 Notifications of waste of water sent to Metropolitan Water Board 305 INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD. Milk Supply. There are no cowsheds in the Borough, all the milk being produced outside. |
6647eb5f-6742-4904-bb30-57df7a8e714c | There are 128 persons or firms retailing milk in the district under the following categories :— Dairymen. Purveyors of Milk No. with rounds not occupying premises in the Borough. No. with rounds occupying premises in the Borough. No. of General shops from which milk is sold from covered pans only No. of shops from which milk is sold in closed and unopened receptacles only. 14 18 2 94 Special Designated Milk The number of persons or firms licensed to sell Special Designated Milk is as follows:— 3 " Certified " 6 " Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) " 1 " Grade A " 7 " Pasteurised " 1 " Grade A Pasteurised " The Express Dairy Co., have a pasteurising plant at No. 100 Bollo Lane. 49 MILK. |
30e93170-7042-4175-b9d4-8efbc160fc3e | On June 1st, 1936, the new Milk (Special Designations) Order 1936 came into operation, which revoked the Special Designations Orders of 1923 and 1934. Under the old orders there were 4 grades of milk, Certified, Grade A Tuberculin Tested, Grade A and Pasteurised. The highest standard of purity was prescribed for the Certified and Grade A Tuberculin Tested, but a very large number of people were under the impression that Grade A milk was the highest and safest kind on the market. For the Grade A milk the cows had to be clinically examined by a Veterinary Surgeon and must not have contained more than 200,000 organisms per c.c. but the cows were not tuberculin tested. In addition to this misconception confusion had recently been introduced by the inauguration in 1935 of the Accredited and Attested Scheme of the Milk Marketing Board. |
ed8b801f-8c90-4b0a-adeb-d9435116a3c9 | The new order will clarify matters as far as classification is concerned, and prescribes the following special designations :— 1. Tuberculin Tested—The condition for this grade are substantially the same as those formerly prescribed for Grade A Tuberculin Tested milk. It is milk from cows which have passed a veterinary examination and a tuberculin test, and it may be bottled on the farm or elsewhere. Until December 31st, 1936, the raw milk should not contain at any time before delivery to the consumer more than 200,000 bacteria per millilitre ; after that date it must satisfy a prescribed methylene blue reduction test for cleanliness. At all dates it must contain no coliform bacillus in one-hundredth of a millilitre. If pasteurised, it must be described as " Tuberculin Tested (Pasteurised) " and must not contain more than 30,000 bac-. tcria per millilitre. |
a15ebc95-d3dd-45c8-a4be-1d3a570548a9 | If bottled on the farm the word " Certified '' may be added to its description. 2. Accredited—The conditions for this grade are similar to ttose prescribed for Grade A milk. It is raw milk from cows which have passed a veterinary examination, but which have not been subjected to a tuberculin test. The milk must satisfy the same bacteriological tests as are prescribed for raw Tuberculin Tested milk, wJ'may be bottled on the farm or elsewhere. 3. Pasteurised—This designation is applicable both where * Accredited " and where ungraded milk is pasteurised in accord- once with the requirements of the Order. The conditions are substantially the same as in the Order of 1923, except that further conations are imposed with regard to thermometers and temperature Charts. 50 j In recent years the milk industry of this country has undergone very material changes, both from the legislative, the producers' and the distributors' aspect. |
1c995325-6cfb-4828-b6f2-2ffdcc38e5d4 | It is common knowledge that the conditions under which milk is produced have immensely improved ; 30 years ago the conditions of milk production were such as to render it difficult to describe them in moderate language; to-day a large quantity of the milk is produced under reasonable conditions of cleanliness, and we are approaching a period when it will be possible to exclude, at any rate, raw milk from tubercular cows. Many factors have been in operation to bring about this improvement. Over a great number of years, the medical profession has been impelled to impugn the safety of the milk supply, but the efforts of its members were of little avail. In the early years of this century, the plea of both producers and distributors was that they could not produce clean milk economically and that the public would not pay the enhanced price which a clean milk would entail. In those days of unlimited petition there was no inducement to produce better milk. |
b1dfe390-58d5-4c88-ae74-f8b2b29f8918 | The introduction of dried milk through the infant welfare centres was one of the first causes which disturbed the apathy of the distributors, and as far as cleanliness was concerned, an improvement became apparent, but those who produced cleaner . milk suffered under the handicap that no monetary advantage accrued ; the public were unaware which milk was produced under clean conditions and which under filthy conditions. In 1923 the Milk Special Designation order was issued, and if the public wished to pay more money, they could be guaranteed a pure milk free of tubercular disease. Contrary to expectations the demand for Certified and Grade A Tuberculin Tested milk was not very encouraging. On May 1st 1935 the Milk Marketing Board put into opention a scheme known as the " Rollof Accredited Producers of the Milk Marketing Board." |
7f7eede7-3d1a-45df-ac4d-a6f16a84fcc3 | The intention was to produce a healthier ard cleaner milk for human consumption, and under the scheme fin ancial aid was given to those producers who complied with the requirements as laid down in the Milk Special Designations Order of 1923 for the production of " Grade A " milk. 51 A further bonus was given to those who produced milk from attested herds. An attested herd not only underwent a clinical examination, but had to pass the Tuberculin Test three times ; that is, a Veterinary Surgeon made the test twice and this was followed by a Tuberculin Test by a Veterinary Inspector of the Board of Agriculture. The new order of 1936 simplifies the nomenclature of designated milks, and embodies various improvements towards the production of a cleaner and healthier milk supply, and it is hoped that a further impetus will be given to the demand for clean milk. |
3f2458fe-57e7-4368-aaf7-30ffee9636aa | It is too early to estimate what success will follow the issue of the order of 1936, but the accredited scheme of 1935, did result in a great increase in the production of milk from accredited herds. Out of 149,000 registered producers in November, 1936, 20,000 were on the accredited roll, but though the accredited producers numbered less than one-seventh of the total, the amount of accredited milk amounted to over one-third of the whole milk supply. The accredited milk scheme, now well established, should be giving the public more confidence in the hygienic quality of the milk supply. About one-third of the total output sold under the marketing scheme now comes from farms which maintain the standards required to qualify for accredited licences. But it is not so Satisfactorv that accredited milk is mixed indiscriminately with ordinary milk, and is not for the most part sold to the public as graded milk. |
60f4ee0a-1036-4601-a2fe-b72da9674d2a | So far as the consumers' confidence is concerned the accredited scheme is not resulting in the benefits which were anticipated at the start. It has been pointed out by those who have to administer the scheme that the goal to be attained is the production of a Tuberculin Tested milk. The necessary clinical examination of the herd once every three months is only the first step towards something more secure, the formation of a " Tuberculin Tested " or an" Attested Herd." Ultimately it is likely that only milk which Satisfies at any rate the accredited standard—and this is not unteasonable as a public health standard—will be used for liquid consumption, and that the remainder will be diverted for manufacturing purposes at a lower price. A few buyers will now only Purchase milk that is produced under accredited licence, and these will become more numerous when consumers have been educased to appreciate the obvious advantages of milk produced in a clean manner from healthy cows, 52 MEAT INSPECTIONS. |
1711d240-69f7-47fb-835f-50d13a92875e | Although there are only two slaughter-houses in the district, meat inspection involves the whole time appointment of one meat inspector and a considerable amount of the time of the district sanitary inspectors. From the tables which follow it can be appreciated that meat inspection in the district is important, and the usual procedure is adopted. Although standards have been laid down in England by memoranda of the Ministry of Health and by law in Scotland, which all inspectors are expected to follow, it is found that considerable differences exist in practice. The inspectors should work on a uniform system and to a uniform standard which should be the same everywhere. Otherwise, results unfair to the trade, and undesirable to the consumer, will follow. Because of complaints of unfairness, we made enquiries and think that on account of great diversity of standards there is ground for the complaints made. It is obvious from the methods pursued, the numbers of carcases examined, and the percentages destroyed as diseased and unfit for human food that in some districts the inspection is far stricter than in others. |
a9f8b188-f419-414d-8702-2bf252bca193 | It was alleged that as a result of this difference traders knew where inspection was strict and where it was lax or indifferent, and it is a natural assumption that doubtful animals found their way to those places where, from their regulations, dealers hoped that they could get them passed. We have been frequently told that dealers do discriminate between different buyers and that solely because they know that in some places the percentage of condemnation is higher than in others. I am referring now to the inspection of pig carcases, because this is the kind of meat in which we are particularly interested. Last year 59,000 carcases were inspected, and the results are recorded in the following tables. We drew up a short table and in that form endeavoured to obtain information of the procedure and the results in other districts where large numbers of pigs are slaughtered, and it is of interest to compare figures which we have obtained. We have tried to classify them in three groups:— A Inspection by whole-time meat inspectors. |
2664b6af-137a-47a6-b98e-500a5fe3d819 | B Inspection by the Council's Sanitary Inspectors, not whole-time meat inspectors. C Inspection by whole-time meat inspectors either appointed or paid for directly or indirectly by the firm owning the slaughterhouse. We have only obtained information from three districts in which this practice 53 obtains. In the others, the information was refused, or was not available. Where information was available, the method of appointment and payment varied. In one instance the meat inspectors used to be appointed and paid for by the firm ; this practice has now been varied—the appointments are ostensibly made and paid for by the Council, but the salaries are refunded to the Council by the firm. Where the salaries are paid by the firms it is obvious that the Council cannot have control. In one instance, where the Veterinary Inspector is appointed by the firm, information was refused, but we were informed that about a quarter of a million pigs are slaughtered annually. |
e52bed9e-2954-40a8-9c8e-f3f167915245 | Although there are differences in the percentages of carcases and heads diseased and condemned in slaughter-houses where the Council's whole time inspectors Oarry out the work, these are insignificant compared with the differences between the slaughterhouses where inspections are carried out by the Council's inspectors and those carried out by inspectors directly or indirectly controlled by the firm. The figures suggest that not only are there grounds for the complaints that different standards are observed in different districts, but that the standard of inspection in some bacon factories is lax and indifferent. Whole-time Meat Inspectors. A. Total examined. Percentage of carcases diseased and destroyed. Percentage of heads diseased and destroyed 1. 62,625 .29 6.69 2. 59,036 .22 7.22 3. 57,188 .07 9.15 4. 51,096 .19 3.83 5. 44,696 .11 4.17 6. |
a6287733-93c0-48a1-a28a-0d3e9cfa4d90 | 24,729 .62 7.7 7. 22,000 1.76 4.07 8. 21,352 .16 4.85 54 B. 1. 40,786 .59 11.92 2. 40,000 only 7,896 carcases examined ; percentages would therefore be useless. 3. 29,642 .19 8.12 4. 25,150 .25 7.05 5. 21,752 only 11,890 carcases examined. 6. 15,184 .11 1.66 7. 14,231 only 10% of carcases examined. 8. 12,872 .32 5.07 c. 1. 225,135 .09 2.88 2. 53,300 .05 .03 3. 13,906 .16 14.15 Unsound Food Surrendered during 1936. CATTLE. |
3eb5eb1a-4732-48ba-8c10-8fc90b641f4f | Carcases. Heads. Plucks. Organs. Parts of Carcases 54 16 69 7 Ox Livers. 1 Ox Tail. 6 sets of Ox Lungs. 3 Loinsof Beef 4 Ox Kidneys. 2 Stirk's Livers. 1 Stirk's Kidney. 2 sets of Stirk's Lungs with Hearts. 83 sets of Calves' 10 Forequarters Lungs with of Veal. Hearts. 21 Calves' Livers. 8 Breasts of 12 Calves' Kidneys. Veal. 2 sets of Calves' 7 Ribs of Veal Lungs. 6 Shanks of Veal. 5 Legs of Veal 4 Shoulders of Veal. 2 Hindquarters of Veal. 2 Sides of Veal 1 Loin of Veal. 55 SHEEP. 4 72 sets of Lungs. |
7c4464c4-7522-4143-a916-576d2e899f9b | 1 Breast of 1 set of Lungs Mutton. with Heart. 6 Livers. PIGS. 141 4,271 2,622 9142 lbs. Chitter1,943 lbs. lings. quarters. 846 lbs. Lights. 871 lbs. Sides. 538 lbs. Livers. 843 lbs. Hind34 sets of Lungs. . quarters. 2 sets of Lungs 83 lbs. Ribs. with Hearts. 14 lbs. Shoulder 1 Pigs' Kidney. OTHER FOODS. 5 Wild Rabbits. 8 Ducks. 4 Fowls. 1 tin of Corned Beef (6 lbs.) 1 tin of Pressed Beef (7 lbs.) 70 lbs. of Skate Wings. 100 lbs. Cod Fillets. 28 lbs. Herrings. 14 lbs. Cod. 7 lbs. Skate. |
b8d4e55d-5449-41af-91bc-bf6af8825cfd | 1 box of Mixed Fish. 6 gallons Winkles. 2 bags of Cauliflowers. 2 cases of Pears. " Various " Concentrated Soups (5 tons. 15 cwts.) 11 bales of Pigs' Heads. NUMBER OF PIGS' CARCASES INSPECTED FROM 1st JANUARY TO 31st DECEMBER, 1936 WITH ANALYSIS OF SURRENDERS ON ACCOUNT OF DISEASE. 1930 No. of Carcases Inspected. No. of Heads Diseased. No. of Carcases Diseased. No. of sides Diseased. No. of fore Quarters Diseased. No. of Hind Quarters Diseased. No. of Legs Diseased. No. of Shoulders Diseased. Plucks (Lungs, Livers and Hearts). Mesenteries, Stomachs and Intestines Pieces of Pork. January. |
08a8489a-6f31-42e5-a3d5-662cf8b0bab8 | 4880 233 12 - 2 - - 1 89 32 lbs. — lbs. February 4755 221 6 - — 2 - — 44 336 „ — „ March 4230 249 10 - — — - - 62 456 „ -” April 5702 246 17 - — 2 - - 66 424 „ -” May 4774 258 12 - 2 — - - 63 480 „ -” June __ 3107 437 25 - 2 4 - — 493 1280 „ — , |
9b226f34-7a03-482a-b528-9c0b3b55a08f | July 4246 473 14 — — 6 - - 364 1528 „ -” August 3520 416 15 - 2 — - - 533 1368 „ -” September 6594 436 9 - 3 — — - 96 1072 „ 43 „ October 0945 423 10 4 11 4 - - 44 832 „ -” November 5727 507 9 2 12 2 - - 281 617 „ -” December 4496 372 2 — 8 — - - 319 697 „ 8 ” Total 59036 4271 141 6 42 20 — 1 4044 9122 „ 51 ” 57 BAKEHOUSES. Of the 34 bakehouses in the Borough 5 are underground. These were licensed under the Factory Act of 1901. t SMOKE ABATEMENT. |
bf6534cb-45cd-4070-b248-d0cdb5c0e43d | During the year 1936, factory chimneys have been watched on 156 occasions, and 68 intimation notices served, besides of course, the numerous informal observations which are always being kept. Legally, we can only take action against the owners of factories in order to prevent the emission of black smoke and grit, but in London, at any rate, the biggest culprit is the ordinary domestic chimney. The problem of atmospheric pollution is neither new nor simple, most of us have read that John Evelyn in 1661 appealed to King Charles to pass an Act of Parliament that works and furnaces using sea-coal, should be removed five or six miles distant from London, below the river Thames. These works fatally infested the air, and would not be permitted in any other city of Europe. We now know more of the injurious effects of smoke, and also of better remedies against coal smoke, and yet, in spite of this, little serious attempt is made to maintain a pure atmosphere. |
fd5701bd-0e5b-4daf-83bd-062a8e85ba6d | No-one can be unaware of the importance of clean air : of all the elements that sustain life, air is the most important. In round figures, without food we die in three weeks : without water, in three days, but without air we die in three minutes. Some people can successfully dodge the use of drinking-water for a considerable time, and most people can counteract many of the impurities of food by sterilising it, but short of wearing masks, all have to breathe the impurities which may be present in the air. According to the highest authorities, the smoke problem is inherently neither difficult nor insoluble. There are no insuperable difficulties in preventing smoke, but, because we need heat in so many different places and for so many different purposes, there are a great many small problems to be tackled, rather than any single, vast, all-embracing one. In the case of the factory chimney, it is mainly a question of expense. |
1b9d7f00-7b9a-4da5-bc1e-cc6693a83b78 | In the northern part of our district, we rarely have complaints of black smoke, but sometimes grit and fumes are emitted with dire consequences. Shrubs, flowers and grass have occasionally been ruined in Wesley Playing Field in the vicinity of 58 the chimneys of the Electricity Power Station. An expensive plant has been installed to intercept the fumes and grit, but these accidents have occurred when the flues are cleaned or repairs are being carried out. In some industrial processes, the dust derived from the materials being treated, may be of sufficent value in itself to make the trapping of it an economic as well as a considerate proposition ; —dyers, roasting kilns and metallurgical processes, but in the case of boiler furnaces, there is no such inducement, and the elimination of boiler flue gases is an expensive process, involving extra capital and maintenance. Some of the larger firms have installed apparatus for the trapping of the fumes, but a breakdown involves damage to neighbouring property. |
5531da01-e198-4a09-8e6d-c692790f14f7 | The amount and nature of the dust vary, not only with the type and design of the furnace, and the draught and load conditions, but also with the character of the coal burnt. It is claimed that the emission of dust from boiler stacks is to some extent preventable by the use of cleansed coals. In addition to reducing the amount of ash, the cleansing of coal effects a considerable reduction of the sulphur content. Naturally, the use of cleansed coals involves a more immediate expense, and the users do not as rule take a long view of the question. A short while ago, an officer of one of the railway companies, stated that a day's fog involved them in an expense of hundreds of thousands of pounds, in addition to the inconvenience caused to the company as well as to the public. |
ad0ae496-d82a-4bfc-a713-3558a5e28d84 | When one observes the smoke which so frequently belches forth from some of the engines, one wonders if this expense caused by the fogs could not have been avoided if more care and money had been expended on the fuel, and on the stoking of the engines. In the southern part of the district complaints are frequently received of black smoke from the boiler shafts. These factories are old and have been adapted and not specially erected for the purposes which they now serve. Most of the old hand-laundries have been turned into power laundries, and the boilers installed have not been the most efficient as far as smoke and grit emission is concerned. The fuel used is often cheap bituminous coal, and the stoking leaves much to be desired. Mechanical stokers are seldom installed, the stoker has other duties to perform, piles on the fuel, and black smoke emerges, at intervals during the day. |
8c896590-90f4-4c89-bb59-62cc618127f8 | In Acton, as a result of constant vigilance on the part of the officers, together, of course, with the erection of up-to-date plants in the newer factory area, an improvement has taken place as far as 59 black smoke is concerned from factory chimneys, but from enquiries made, very little progress has occurred in the prevention of atmospheric pollution from the domestic chimney. Although in the larger blocks of flats, which have recently been so extensively erected, in and around London, central heating has been installed, the ordinary house will still be heated mostly by means of an open coal grate. Some smoke abatement enthusiasts think that coal grates should be abolished by law, but with our moist climate, it is not likely that the public will give up the comfort whuch is afforded by them. Moreover, for continuous use, solid fuel is much cheaper for open fires. |
64f29280-b855-4525-8507-d638cb3ba88a | The extended use of gas, electricity and coke should be encouraged, but for various reasons the coal grate will be with us for some time, but it is possible to reduce the amount of smoke and yet retain the coal grate. Doctor Margaret Fishenden, who is one of the greatest authorities on the subject, read a paper at the Conference on Smoke Abatement last autumn, and she was very emphatic on the possibility of reducing emission of smoke from coal grates. The kitchen range is probably the worst offender, although a rapid increase in the use of independant boilers and gas cookers is taking place. Large quantities of bituminous coal are also burned in open grates of the sitting-room type. This is not necessary. Among the natural smokeless fuels, anthracite, semi-anthracite and semibituminous coal, and the manufactured smokeless fuels,—cokes, and semi-cokes—a smokeless substitute can always be found at little extra cost, and sometimes actually at a lower cost. |
c84f6e03-402b-495d-9a64-51bc4530e84b | Anthracite or gas coke is usually too hard to light in open grates of ordinary design, but grates of special design, which will burn anthracite and gas coke, have recently been put on the market. Semi-anthracite or semi-bituminous coal are quite suitable for open tres, and cost no more than bituminous coal. Prevention of smoke lies essentially in using the right fuel for the right purpose, but the housewife does not always know what types of fuel are best for her Particular purposes, and in any case, cannot be sure of getting uniform supplies from her coal merchant. This objection does not apply to large consumers, and yet, in offices, and even in rooms belanging to local authorities, bituminous coals are used, producing smoke and necessitating frequent chimney sweeping. BIRTHS. Table 7 is in the same form as in previous years. |
66dca7ca-d2ab-43db-ad75-27e697da6bfc | The total Number of births is obtained from the Registrar General, and indudes all the births which belong to the district wherever they may 60 have been registered throughout the kingdom. The registered births numbered 881, 464 males and 417 females. A large percentage of the births occurred outside the district, but this is due to the fact that there is no maternity hospital within the district. Of the total births, 388 occurred in the district, 437 were notified from outside districts, and obviously 56 births did not come to our knowledge. They are included in the Registrar General's total; and as this total is 56 more than the number notified to us, we are ignorant of their distribution ; we do not know where they have occurred, and more important we do not know their address in the borough. The total number of registered births corresponds to an annual birth-rate of 12.7 per 1,000 inhabitants. |
e46de76e-54c8-49ee-918c-43969181aee0 | The birth-rate for the whole of England and Wales last year was 14.8 per 1,000 ; for the County Boroughs and large towns with a population of over 50,000 it was 14.9, and for the 143 smaller towns with populations between 25,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, it was 15.0, and for the Administrative County of London it was 13.6 per 1,000 inhabitants. Until comparatively recently the birth rate excited no interest amongst the general public. In most annual reports there was just a small paragraph giving the total number of births and the birth-rate. But when the British citizen hears that Parliament is about to appoint a commission to investigate a subject which he has hitherto considered without practical importance, he begins to consider if there may be something in it worthy of his attention. The public press gives great prominence to the subject, and most contradictory statements and prophecies are made. |
4c36441e-d8a6-4023-85f3-ce7f93040d19 | A new word, " demography " has been coined, and used extensively. We have heard from Rome that " the demography problem is Italy's paramount problem " The word is used to describe the statistical methods to forecast future population trends. Very many people cannot possibly understand how a population can be declining which in fact is increasing by excess over deaths. For instance, in Acton, where the birth-rate is much lower than that of England and Wales, there were 87 more births than deaths in 1936, and in the whole of England and Wales there were about 109,861 births more than deaths. Attempts at enlightening by complicated explanations of what birth-rates and death-rates mean generally end in confusion, but for practical purposes we may forget most of them and simply bear in mind the net 61 reproduction rate. The true death-rate of man is determined by his mean expectation of life. Taking the latter to be 60 years, the death-rate is 16.6 per 1,000 per annum. |
a9b8e0f6-f280-425a-a046-0989bdec12d6 | Nothing but alteration of the expectation of life will alter the rate, and simply to maintain the population the birth-rate must equal it. There are prospects of the mean expectation of life rising to 65, and conceivably to 70 years, but none whatever above that, in spite of some who think that mortality is not a " natural" termination. Under present conditions a birthrate of 16.6 is necessary to keep the population steady, and even if conditions improve almost to their limit a birth-rate of about 15 per 1,000 would be needed to establish an equilibrium. Since 1933 the birth-rate has not fallen in most English-speaking communities—the figures being for England and Wales:— 1933-14.4 ; 1934-14.8 ; 1935-14.7 ; 1936-14.8. |
37a4977b-e251-4567-92bb-15f3cddc667b | Although the birth-rate in the past few years appears to have become stabilised it is obvious, unless an upward trend soon appears, that the population of this country has almost reached its peak, and soon there will be a decline. Even if the birth-rate did not mark lower depths, a decline in the population is inevitable, at first gradual, but gaining momentum each year. Sir William Beveridge estimates that the population of these islands in 2137 will be 5 millions, and Dr. Enid Charles predicts a more sparsely populated England in 2037. Admittedly the problem is a difficult and intricate one, and because of its difficulty and intricacy most people leave it severely alone. Possibly it is mainly a national question, but it has its local implications, and is intimately bound up with local administration. |
6e2d2967-f40d-4518-a79c-6ece1a18b4ff | It will give rise to many economic and administrative problems, such as unemployment, old age pensions, hospital accommodation, schools, &c. In last year's report I gave some tables which showed the remarkable changes which have occurrred in this district, and those acquainted with education administration know the difficulties which have already occurred. Some people seek reassurance in the hope that the statisticians may be wrong, as their predictions are based on a series of assumptions, any one of which may be radicalh changed by developments 50 years hence, but it may be pointed out that the forecasts of population movements made a few years ago have been found since to underestimate the extent to which decline is threatening this country and several other western democracies. 62 The relative importance of the factors in operation may vary. in different localities, but some of them operate in all districts throughout the country and Acton is fairly representative of the conditions which obtain in most districts in and around London. |
ddc5ad0a-20fd-44ac-a774-88ff666d736a | The practice of spacing the family has become prevalent and there is not the slightest doubt that the use of contraceptive methods has spread throughout the population. Living conditions and economic conditions are important factors, but it is not argued that they are the only ones because until recently the fall in the birth-rate was least marked in the lower-income classes of the community but at the present time the size of the family is getting smaller in all classes. In the report upon the Overcrowding Survey in Acton it was pointed out that overcrowding has become less prevalent here primarily owing to the diminishing size of the family. The number of families has increased relatively more than the number of new houses, but overcrowding has lessened because the average number in each family is getting less. Some of the obstacles to family life are familiar to most observers. . |
e409b026-1c6e-44b3-a507-9d0456c37e6b | The uncertain political and economic outlook, the rising standards of life affect all classes, but the difficulty of obtaining houses at a reasonable rent probably rests more heavily on the so-called working classes Rents have risen at a greater rate than wages, and the ordinary artisan and unskilled labourer find it very difficult to obtain houscat a rent which they can afford. It is also well known that private landlords and even municipal authorities are averse to letting houses to those who have large families. Even if a man with a large family is successful in obtaining a house with sufficient accommodation, the rent demanded frequently has to be paid at the expense of the nutrition of his family. Sir John Orr stated recently that half of the population do not obtain the food which would conform with the highest, standard ; some people have even insufficient calories, whilst in the case of the others, the food was deficient in protective foods and therefore in vitamins or minerals. |
731b3ff3-13da-40ca-aa3a-6edb58d39979 | This inevitably involves the further fact that a number of men, womer and children in this country are, to put it bluntly, half-starved. We have no records here which would enable us to estimate the number of families who are undernourished and who cannot afford the necessary food, but the School Feeding Centres and the Free milk. Scheme are sufficient evidence of their existence. We have amd yet learnt how to wed agriculture to the public health. Food prices are kept high by laws which impose fines for growing more than an authorised quantity of potatoes, or for selling milk under 2 certain official minimum price. Quite recently a memorandum was issued by the Ministry of Health asking Maternity and Child Welfare Committees to relax their regulations respecting the supply 63 of free milk to expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5 years of age. It is no longer just a matter of individual betterment but of national necessity that a minimum scale of nutrition as well as housing be provided for everyone in the country. |
b920bbec-d5de-4052-9aa0-d09a7c4d4afb | So long as the grim struggle for life continues in the working classes, we shall find them physically weak and more and more unwilling to bring up families. Restriction of the number of children in a family is by no means most marked among the poor. Middle class families are noted for their preference for Baby Austins over the human variety, and it has been suggested that the best way of inducing these folk to raise a family is that of a family allowance, payable to married persons of every class. This has been tried in other countries with doubtful success. In all these attempts to embark on a competitive race in procreation and to bully or bribe the youth of today to beget and bear more babies than they want, the woman is frequently ignored, but the emancipation of women probably has had as much effect as anything. Even if anyone wanted it, a return to the high rate of the Victorian era is impossible. Mothers are not now content to spend their whole lives simply to bring forth and rear children. |
d6d4580d-31d6-4cf6-986a-4365cda40f93 | Women have widened their outlook and have many and diverse interests outside their own households. The promised Government Committee may devise means to increase the birth-rate, but so long as bombing aircraft and poison gas pervade the minds, so long as there is exposure to the risks of unemployment, poverty and bad housing, there is an arnswer to the advocates of wholesale fertility. Remove these motives for deliberate infecundity, the present trend of population may gradually change. DEATHS. At the end of each year, or more correctly, towards the end of May, a summary of the vital statistics of the district is received from the Registrar General in which is given the estimated population, the number of births and a short list of deaths. We are supposed to have received the full list of deaths previously, and the totals in the summary should correspond to the numbers in the death returns. |
e9618556-5fe8-4ab8-ac8e-c355880e55e1 | Usually the important items in the different returns correspond, such as the total number of deaths, infantile deaths, the deaths from definite diseases, &c., but this year a discrepancy occurs. According to the Registrar General the deaths belonging to the district were 801. In the weekly returns of the local registrar and the quarterly outside returns, the total number is 794, 2nd on this number the statistics are based. The cause of the 64 discrepancy I have been unable to ascertain, but a possible one may be mentioned. The registration and the municipal areas do not correspond. Although over two years have elapsed since the rearrangement of boundaries between Acton and Brentford & Chiswick was completed, the old registration areas still obtain. The residents of Ivy Crescent and the transferred area in Bollo Lane still have to go to Chiswick to register the births and deaths, and the residents of Silver Crescent, Thorneyhedge Road and the rest of the area transferred to Chiswick still register the births in Acton. |
0f08f143-74d2-4047-a0ab-4668cb424c23 | 431 deaths were registered in the district; of these 42 did not belong to Acton and were transferred to other districts. 405 deaths of Acton residents occurred outside the area and have been included in our returns. The total number of deaths belonging to the district is therefore 794, which corresponds to a death-rate of 11.5 per thousand inhabitants. In previous reports the method adopted by the Registrar General to standardize the death-rate has been explained ; a comparability factor is supplied to each district for adjusting the local death-rate to make it comparable with other districts. The comparability factor is based upon the age distribution and sex incidence of the district at the Census of 1931. The comparability factor for Acton is 1.08. The standardized death-rate for Acton is 12.4 per thousand inhabitants. |
409a5dbf-807a-4be5-97ea-355c0b507121 | The death-rate for England and Wales for 1936 was 12.1 per thousand ; the crude death-rate for the administrative County of London was 12.5 ; for the 122 County Boroughs and Great Towns with over 50,000 inhabitants 12.3 ; and for the 143 smaller Towns with a population between 25,000 and 50.000 inhabitants 11.5 per thousand. The number of deaths is 90 more than that of 1935 arid with the exception of the year 1929, last year's total was the highest on record. On the surface, the figures appear to be very unfavourable, but when they are closely examined, it will be observed that most of the increased mortality was in the later years of life. Unfortunately, there is a higher infantile mortality, and this is commented on in a later paragraph. There is also a higher mortality from Phthisis or Pulmonary Tuberculosis. |
89946e2a-1b3e-47a1-a43c-50b3513863d2 | Ever since the war, there has been a progressive improvement in the mortality from Tubercular diseases, and though we have to record a set-back last year, it is probable that this is only a temporary and transient phenomenon. 65 There is a slight increase in the number of deaths in the ageperiod 1-2 years, but this is due to the 6 deaths which occurred from Measles. hast year was a Measles epidemic year : in this district Measles has in recent years regularly occurred in epidemic form every other year. There is also an increase in the mortality in the age-period 25-45 years, due to an increased number of deaths from Phthisis, heart disease and Cancer. A higher mortality from Phthisis would be felt in this age-period, but it is most unusual to find so heavy an incidence of Cancer in this age-period. |
f1e799b5-2439-47e2-96ed-c7247337e469 | There was an increase of 45 in the number of deaths in the age-period 45-65 years, and of 19 in the age-period of 65 and upwards. 47 per cent, of the deaths occurred in people of 65 years and upwards. Of the total deaths 385 were males and 409 females. The average age of the males was 52.2 and of the females 60.9. The average of all the persons who died was 56.6. There were increases in the number of deaths from old age, heart disease, especially in people over 65 years of age, Cancer, Bronchitis, Pneumonia and Cerebral Haemorrhage. As I have pointed out in previous reports, these diseases are associated with advancing years and with the altering age-incidence of the population. Although there has been an apparent increase in recent years in the number of deaths attributed to heart disease, there is no evidence to show that heart disease is an increasing menace. |
cbc56fb7-08ee-4b1b-9b77-29ee64125b76 | There is an increasing tendency among doctors to give old age as a cause of death, but most of them still name a definite disease as the existing cause, and the most popular one in recent years has been Myocarditis or Myocardial degeneration. These are placed under heart disease together with Myocarditis and Valvular Disease after Rheumatic Fever, but there is no analogy between the two conditions. In the former, the degeneration of the heart was merely part of a general degeneration. Death could not be avoided, and methods of prevention could not avail. When the disease follows Rheumatic infection as was probably the case in the sixteen deaths under 45 years of age, the conditions are entirely different. The infection may have been an avoidable one, and the life could have been prolonged. 66 The death has usually occurred before the other parts of the body have worn out, and the unfortunate sufferer has died in the prime of life. |
ce9b3f4b-d0bb-405c-8511-02dca5ebf30d | For this reason it is important that measures should be taken to prevent permanent damage to the heart from Rheumatism in childhood, and in the report on the School Medical Sendees, an account is given of the measures which are being taken. Although heart disease now looms larger in our returns than any other cause it does not mean that preventable heart disease is more prevalent. It means that the present day conceptions of heart disease are different from those which obtained in the past, and the increase is due to the result of this new orientation, and is shown only in the deaths in advanced age. Similarly, the increasing number of deaths from Cancer is partly due to the altered age incidence of the population. Of the 112 deaths from Cancer, 52 were in persons over 65 years of age. For the first time on record more deaths of Acton residents occurred outside the districts than inside ; this is partly accounted for by the fact there is no County hospital situated in the borough. |
43a00f38-e32b-48a3-80a9-9a70821d0389 | I have on several occasions pointed out the changed and changing attitude of the public towards the treatment of disease in public institutions. Last years 418 deaths occurred in public institutions in addition to those which occurred in nursing homes. The institutional deaths were as follows:— County Hospitals 275 County Sanatoria 6 Outside Voluntary Hospitals 83 Acton Hospitals 47 Fever Hospital 7 Private Nursing Homes 21 Inquests and Coroner's Inquiries. 6 deaths occurred either in the street or in an ambulance on the way to a hospital. 30 inquests were held, and 31 deaths were certified by the Coroner after a post-mortem examination but without an inquest. The list of inquests together with the causes of death is given on a later page. 67 DIPHTHERIA. 15 cases of Drphetheria were notified and removed to hospital 2 of these were found to be suffering from Scarlet Fever, and 1 notification was withdrawn as the swabs from the throat proved negative. |
96fc588c-280d-4514-a34e-3c8c551624ef | and the child did not show any clinical signs of the disease. Three other cases were admitted to hospital for observation, but were found not to be suffering from the disease and were discharged in a few days. There were therefore 12 cases of Diphtheria with 2 deaths. Eleven of the twelve cases were in children who had not been artificially immunised, and both deaths occurred in children whose parents had either refused or neglected artificial immunisation. The only child who developed clinical diphtheria and had been previously immunised developed the disease in a mild form ; he had been inoculated in 1932. In the School Report particulars are given of the steps which were taken in 1936 to carry out artificial immunisation, and the difficulties which attend. One of the dangers which we now have to bee is the comparative freedom of the district from diphtheria. In the second half of 1936, only two cases occurred in the district, in onsequence we have two undesirable results. |
b9ced6e6-fd96-4712-b013-6747c5e2e997 | The parents become apathetic and neglect to have their children immunised. The district is practically free of diphtheria so why worry ! But this freedom from the disease is a Source of potential danger. When the incidence of the disease is fairly high, a percentage of the children are renered immune, or ar any rate, partially immune by sub-clinical doses of the infecting agent, though they may not have suffered from clinical diphtheria. These children have a certain amount of antitoxin circulating in their blood and if they contract diphtheria it is possible for the attack to be modified. This method of protection not only unscientific and haphazard, but usually insufficient. When a district is free of the disease even this modified protection is removed, and if an unprotected child does contract the disease the attack is likely to be a Severe one. |
e59719ae-224c-4872-84b5-4f012a4e57fd | There are other factors which decide the severity or otherwise of the attack, such as the kind of bacteria, &c., but the lessened immunity of the child in a district free of diphtheria is of wider significance. SCARLET FEVER. . 177 cases of Scarlet Fever were notified, but there was no death from the disease Over 70 per cent, of the cases occurred in North East and North West Wards, and the school mainly affected was the Action Wells School. Although no missed cases 68 were detected among the scholars, the difficulties which are attached to the prevention of Scarlet Fever have been referred to in previous reports. It is now held that the sore throat, rash, temperature, peeling, &c., are simply the reactions of the individual to the invasion of the streptococcus, and that anyone of these symptoms may be absent, but doctors are chary of notifying unless most of them, or at any rate the rash, are present. |
6c8933a2-8046-4ebd-8fed-46db33cbab86 | It can therefore be appreciated that during the prevalence of Scarlet Fever in a neighbourhood there may be a certain number of cases which will escape notification. Among other vagaries of the streptococcus is its power occasionally to persist in an active state in the individual for prolonged periods, and we have return cases when a person resumes his ordinary role in life after isolation. Unless complications occur at the present time a patient is kept in hospital for about four weeks, and in the . majority of instances at the end of that period he is found to be free of infection. Occasionally, when a patient is discharged from hospital another case occurs in the family within a short period of the patient's discharge; the subsequent case is called a " return " case and the discharged patient is called the " infecting case." |
16553e2b-1c9e-4e27-8226-5de4f49193ef | We know some of the conditions under which a patient remains infectious for a prolonged period and liable to give rise to " return " cases, and avoid discharging the patient until these symptoms have cleared up, but there are others which give rise to " return " cases in which there are no visible signs or symptoms in the patient to account for the persistence of the infection. Last year six cases gave rise to one return case each, and in 2 instances three cases occurred in each of the families following the discharge of the patient from the hospital. MEASLES. There were ten deaths from Measles in 1936, compared with no deaths in 1935. Last year was an epidemic year in Acton. During the past quarter of a century, Measles has made its appearance in Acton in a fairly regular manner every other year. |
9bdb91d2-2a71-4266-a68c-268896e723ae | Measles is a disease which fulfils with remarkable accuracy the conditions of an epidemic cycle ; its waves of prevalence, with their respective rises and falls, are interspersed with periods of complete absence. We say that it occurs with explosive violence, and then completely disappears from the district. 1932 was an epidemic year with 12 deaths, followed in 1933 an interepidemic year with one death. 1934 again was an epidemic year with 11 deaths, followed in 1935 with no deaths. 69 In the Annual Report for 1934, a history of Measles in Acton was given and a table inserted to show the regularity of its biennial visitations. |
f409bb89-a6ee-4e0a-bf50-844d2f829b83 | If the table had been drawn up for separate years, and ending, say, on July 1st each year, the regular periodicity of the disease would be still more marked, because the outbreak usually occurs in the winter months; sometimes the epidemic started in the last quarter of the year, at other times it originated in the first quarter of the year. Recently the interepidemic period was slightly more than 104 weeks. In the epidemic of 1934, the first cases were reported in January, but the cases in the school did not become numerous until February and March. In the previous epidemic of 1932, the first cases were reported in December 1931, and several cases were notified from the schools when they re-opened in January 1932, after the Christmas holidays. Although it could almost certainly be predicted that 1936 would be an epidemic year, we did not expect the epidemic until February or March. |
db1f2d47-6515-4771-b088-a042a50ad5eb | Besides, in recent epidemics, our Measles outbreaks have followed the rise of deaths in London ; we usually have felt the full force of it a month or so after the epidemic has reached its peak in London. Last year's epidemic behaved in a slightly different manner. The height of the epidemic was not reached until the early part of 1936 ; there were only 12 deaths in November and December 1935, reaching 71 in January' and February 1936. The first case here was reported in November 1935, and as will be seen from the School Report the outbreak had a firm hold before the end of January 1936. The epidemic lasted until the summer of 1936, but of the 9 deaths, 6 occurred in the first quarter of the year. |
d1f448f7-6834-4689-a3a9-32445eecbc97 | An intensive study has for years been made into the bacteriology and the epidemiology of measles ; probably no disease has recently been more intensively studied, and we have learnt a good deal at any rate of the behaviour of an epidemic of Measles. Although the germ or virus which is the probable cause of the illness has not been isolated, and is therefore unknown, we do know how Measles in the mass behaves. A Measles epidemic does not arise in a community of children until the percentage of susceptible children rises beyond 25, and seldom subsides until the percentage of the susceptible population is reduced a mark below 20. The question of immunity is a complex one, and usually a person becomes immune or non-susceptible to Measles by contracting the disease and suffering from the symptoms of Measles. The immunity which is conferred by a clinical attack of Measles is usually a permanent one, and lasts a lifetime. |
e216ffc1-862e-4dc6-af81-6979c3d8156c | But it is now held 70 that in addition to this permanent immunity which an attack of Measles confers a certain amount of temporary latent immunity also occurs during the epidemic. This temporary latent immunity may be brought about in many ways. A breast-fed infant seldom contracts Measles. He is born with a certain amount of natural immunity ; how long this natural immunity persists is not known, but whilst it lasts, he may come in contact with Measles and yet not exhibit the usual symptoms of the disease. He may, though, be acquiring a certain amount of latent immunity through successive sub-clinical doses, and these may be, but are not usually, of sufficient strength to give him a permanent immunity throughout his life. In any case, the immunity is sufficient to tide him over that particular epidemic. It is through the acquisition of natural immunity that under present social conditions an epidemic of Measles comes to an end in a large urban community. |
c7182ad7-976b-44d9-88a2-a79fc3cece0d | This does not mean that individual children cannot be protected from Measles during an epidemic but that efforts to prevent the spread of an epidemic of Measles in a community are usually a failure. These considerations have effected a changed outlook in the measures which are adopted during an epidemic. At the present time, we concentrate upon the individual because the disease itself very rarely kills. It simply predisposes the patient to the great risk of secondary infections, and it is from these complications, usually broncho-pneumonia, that death occurs. Probably, some of the lessened mortality in recent years has been due to the institutional treatment which has been available. We have been fortunate to have available accommodation for Measles at the Fever Hospital in the last three epidemics, and we did not refuse any application by a doctor last year. 65 cases were admitted with 5 deaths. Unfortunately many of the cases are admitted because of the complications which have already set in, but this is inevitable. |
4b5de1d0-67a2-48bc-a2db-d1636a45d6cb | It would be almost impossible to remove every case of uncomplicated Measles during an epidemic. A selection has to be" made, such as the existence of unfavourable home conditions, complications, &c. In former days, also, in addition to the deaths which occurred from the disease, we had a large number of children who had been maimed and scarred by the discharging ears and inflamed eyes frequently left as a complication and sequelae of Measles. For these reasons, when a Measles epidemic occurs, we pay less attention to the spread of the disease in the community and more to the treatment of the disease in the individual either in the home, or in a hospital. 71 TUBERCULOSIS. 89 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and 15 cases of other forms of Tuberculosis were notified during the year. There were 47 deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and 4 deaths from other forms of Tuberculosis. |
4209261e-7c48-4dc2-a5a7-bead68da3d82 | The death-notification interval of the 47 patients who died of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in 1936, was:— Information from Death Returns 4 Died within 1 month after notification 6 Died between 1 and 3 months after notification 3 Died between 3 and 6 months after notification 4 Died between 6 and 12 months after notification 6 Died between 1 and 2 years after notification 3 Died between 2 and 3 years after notification 6 Died over 3 years after notification 15 For practical purposes the date when the notification was received can be accepted as the time when prophylaxis and treatment really commenced. It will thus be seen that there is room for earlier diagnosis in a large number of cases, and it is generally believed that an increase in the proportion of persons diagnosed in the slight or early stages would be of great benefit. Apart from the advantage to the contacts from the precautions which would be taken, the prognosis is closely related to the extent of lung involvement at the time of diagnosis. |
b84a37be-2632-41cd-8ac3-3a8b3e9d73e7 | A patient's chance of survival is enormously increased in proportion as he is admitted to sanatorium treatment in the early stages of the disease. This late diagnosis is probably one of the causes in the want of improvement which has recently been noticed in the mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis. That there has been a check in the decline of mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis is evident from the returns for the whole kingdom, and events in Acton have followed the same course. The deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis for the last six years were as follows:— 1936 46 1935 32 1934 50 1933 53 1932 48 1931 43 72 A general decline in mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis began in this country from the middle of the last century and continued in the early part of this century. A marked check occurred during the Great War, but following the war a decline again occurred, but recently a check in the improvement has occurred. |
8ea8876b-d726-4b84-82c9-26f2e363bef2 | The recent check in the mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis has occurred during a period when interest in matters of public health in general has been greater than ever. This check has taken place as a result of factors other than failure to utilise the special arrangements for the treatment of the disease. The decline in the mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis began in this country before any specific measures were taken against the disease, and was accompanied by a substantial decline in the mortality from all other diseases taken together. The early impovement was undoubtedly due to the improvement in the general social and economic conditions of the mass of the people. Housing, nutrition and other factors determine the general level of social conditions. A patient of ample means returning home from a sanatorium can afford to adjust his life until it is safe for him to resume it under former conditions. A working-class patient after the benefit of similar treatment returns to a home environment where even separate sleeping accommodation is impossible. |
cb859f7d-1347-464b-919b-364d3e5c4611 | Although the conditions would not constitute actual overcrowding under the 1935 Housing Act, from an infection point of view they are undesirable. Frequently we have requests from a family, one of whose members has been to a sanatorium, sometimes supplemented by a letter from a Tuberculosis Officer, for a Council house because of the want of sufficient space at the home to admit of separate sleeping accommodation for the patient. Supervision of contacts is difficult because the other members of the family are always in intimate contact with the patient. It has been suggested that preferential housing treatment should be accorded to pulmonary tuberculosis patients but landlords are loth to let their houses, and even municipal housing committees are unwilling to convert their estates into Tubercular settlements. Besides, a tubercular patient, if he is the head of the family, is unable to afford better accommodation. Unless he is fortunate enough to have substantial savings, which he rarely has, the standard of living will be substantially lower than before bis illness. |
38b99cd0-4a96-41d3-a6a7-b3e2153b74f3 | These are some of the difficulties which confront us in the fight against tuberculosis no matter how excellent the facilities for treatment may be; not only will they effect the results of treatment, but will militate against early diagnosis and treatment. 73 The following is a statement of the particulars appearing in the Register of cases of Tuberculosis on 31st December, |
3be96f4c-dcaa-4751-a946-81206ac2e603 | 1936:— Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Total Number of Cases on the Register at the commencement of the year 159 males 162 females 35 males 25 females 381 Number of Cases notified for the first time during the year 50 males 32 females 10 males 4 females 96 Number of Cases previously removed from the register which have been restored thereto during the year 1 male females male 1 females 2 Number of Cases added to the Register other than by notification 4 males 3 females 1 male females 8 Number of Cases removed from the Register during the year 40 males 29 females 1 male 4 females 74 Number of Cases remaining on the Register at the end of the year 174 males 167 females 45 males 26 females 413 In 1936, the Tuberculosis Officer examined 63 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, and 13 new cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis. |
c0e8823d-5d3c-4a9b-9455-f3a49f7fba21 | Fifty-five patients were admitted to Sanatoria under the County Scheme, and thirteen were admitted to hospitals. 74 Age Periods New Cases. Deaths. Respiratory. Non-Respiratory Respiratory. Non-Respiratory M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. |
19c4248c-c51c-4b9d-a582-c7a20893708c | 0- — — — — — — — — 1- 1 — — — — — — — 5- 2 1 — 2 — — — 1 15- 22 12 6 1 6 2 2 1 25- 8 15 — — 9 7 — — 35- 10 2 2 — 5 2 — — 45- 6 1 2 1 3 1 — — 55- 3 3 — — 6 3 — — 65 and upwards 2 1 1 — 2 1 — — — — — — — — — — Totals 54 35 11 4 31 16 2 2 75 ISOLATION HOSPITAL. 583 cases were admitted during the year, compared with 544 during 1935. |
91c9886b-b39c-46e0-993b-5098739110e0 | On January 1st, 1936, there were 44 cases in the hospital, and on January 1st, 1937, there were 40. The following table gives a list of the cases admitted, together with the diseases from which the patients suffered. Acton. Wembley. Other districts Total. Scarlet Fever 152 240 32 424 Diphtheria 18 27 - 45 Measles 65 32 - 97 Erysipelas - 1 - 1 Chicken Pox - 1 - 1 Whooping Cough 12 1 - 13 Mumps - 1 - 1 Osteomyelitis - 1 - 1 There were 14 deaths which were distributed as follows: Sc. |
7e7eca35-a33b-4be3-b74e-8c4eae97e517 | Fever Diphtheria Measles Acton - 2 5 Wembley 2 4 1 On 7 Scarlet Fever patients a complete mastoidectomy was performed, and on two of these the operation was done on both sides. There were several serious complications in both the Scarlet Fever and Measles cases. In 7 cases of Scarlet Fever a mastoid operation was performed, and a similar operation done in 4 cases of Measles. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. (a) For Diphtheria Positive. Negative. Total Examinations 762 32 730 Sent by Medical Practitioners 5 215 do. (re-examinations) 1 22 Sent from Isolation Hospital 21 293 Convalescents (1st Swabs) 1 9 „ (2nd „ ) - 1 Contacts 43 do. (2nd examinations) 1 9 do. |
be416b8d-9120-493f-b1f9-6b1a24872d63 | (3rd „ ) 1 1 Precautionary Swabs 2 112 „ (2nd Swabs) 1 3 76 School Sore Throats 22 (b) For Ringworm. Positive. Negative. Total Examinations 9 2 7 (c) For Tubercle. Positive. Negative. Total Examinations 274 35 139 MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE. Infantile Mortality. 60 deaths occurred in infants under 1 year, corresponding to an infantile mortality of 6S per 1,000 births. The infantile mortality is 8 per 1,000 births higher than that of 1935; for the third year in succession we have to deplore an increased infantile mortality, and it is the highest recorded since 1929. |
35414d59-885e-43ff-8ad5-ad4385c706d2 | We had become so accustomed to record a diminishing infantile mortality year after year that it is with a sense of disappoint ment and dissatisfaction that a higher rate for the third successive year is recorded. There is one phase in this year's infantile mortality which is disquieting. Not only is there a higher mortality, but this enhanced mortality has occurred between the ages of 9 and 12 months, and these are the ages which are most susceptible to the widespread benefits of child welfare. We have for years to deplore the high neo-natal mortality, that is, of deaths in the first four weeks of life. The percentage of infant mortality occurring in the first week of life steadily increases everywhere, not because neo-natal deaths have increased but because deaths in the remaining 51 weeks of the first year have declined rapidly. It is found that though the infantile mortality may vary in different localities the neo-natal rate remains fairly constant in all sections of the population. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.