[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council 1948].

  • London County Council (London, England). County of London.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council 1948]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    23 Investigations by officers of the Ministry of Agriculture into the origin of the positive samples disclosed the presence of infection in 22 herds. As a result 21 cows were slaughtered under the provisions of the Tuberculosis Order, 1938, and infection was also traced to five other cows which had been removed from herds subsequent to sampling. Sanitary inspection Reports of 312 instances of infestation were received from various establishments controlled by the Council, e.g., restaurants, schools, rest centres, parks. Infestations by rats, mice, cockroaches, bugs, ants, flies, etc., were dealt with and 280 disinfesta tions were satisfactorily completed. Disinfesta tion More than 2,200 visits of inspection were made to Civic restaurants, kitchens and school meals centres. These visits were made to 552 centres in connection with maintenance, sanitary accommodation and food. Restaurants and catering Regular inspections, at least once a quarter, were made of 64 homes, hostels, rest centres and other premises in connection with sanitary conditions. A large number of letters of complaint of and visits about insanitary home conditions were received from the public. These were dealt with by representation to local sanitary inspectors or by reference to borough medical officers of health or by other appropriate means. Welfare establish ments Complaints Blind and partially sighted persons The National Assistance Act, 1948, repealed the Blind Persons Acts and imposed duties on the Council regarding the registration and welfare of blind persons which include the certification of blindness for the purposes of the Act. The welfare services which the Council is empowered, under the Act, to provide for blind persons extend also to partially sighted persons who, though not blind within the definition of the Act are, nevertheless, substantially and permanently handicapped by con genially defective vision or who have defective vision of a substantial and per manently handicapping character caused by illness or injury. Such persons are included in an Observation Register. No modification has been necessary in the Council's arrangements for the examination of persons for certification of blindness and the results of the examina tions during the year are set out below:— Examinations by the Council's ophthalmologists Classification Certified blind Not blind Grand total Male Female Total Male Female Total New cases 213 329 542 67 120 187 729 Previously blind, still blind 27 30 57 - - - 57 Previously not blind, now certified 11 19 30 - - - 30 Previously not blind, still not blind - - - 25 36 61 61 Previously blind, now not blind - - - 3 3 6 6 Total 251 378 629 95 159 254 883 Persons examined as to suitability for training Suitable Not suitable Grand total Male Female Total Male Female Total 19 5 24 1 3 4 28