[Report 1939] / Medical Officer of Health, Birmingham.

  • Birmingham (England). Council.
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1939] / Medical Officer of Health, Birmingham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I individual houses under the Housing Act were curtailed, with a con- sequent reduction in systematic house inspections, and in part to the great reduction in inspectors available. A proportion disappeared on ‘ military service, while a very large section of the remainder were absorbed into whole-time or part-time duties in A.R.P. casualty services, in con- i nection with liaison work at first aid posts, works connected with the protection of hospitals and other buildings, the organization of a decon- tamination laundry, work at Control Centres, and in a number of other directions. The work of the special inspectors in connection with canal boats, smoke nuisances. Shops Acts, milk shops and stores, and the sampling of food, drugs and water, was substantially maintained during the year. 44,827 visits were paid in 1939, as against 46,687 in 1938; a most creditable record when the severe disturbance in their work and the reduction in the numbers of inspectors is borne in mind. > ^ In relation to housing, during the first eight months of the year seventy-two Clearance Areas were represented under Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1936 (approximately 4,090 houses), and approved by resolution of the City Council. Twenty-two Clearance Orders and sixty- eight Compulsory Purchase Orders were made and submitted to the ; Ministry of Health for confirmation. In addition, action was taken under Section 11 of the Housing Act in regard to 148 houses, and under Section ^12 in regard to twenty-four dwellings. K At the outbreak of war the majority of the members of the housing staff were seconded for A.R.P. duties in Control Centres and Casualty Services, [?^while both the Chief Housing Inspector (Mr. Lamb) arid in succession to y him on departure for military service his deputy (Mr. Pardoe) have ^ undertaken the onerous duties of Organizer of First Aid Posts. On the 8th September, 1939, Circular 1866 was issued by the Ministry of Health suggesting the postponement of work under the Slum Clearance pro- gramrnes, as a result of which the City Council on the 17th October I resolved that Slum Clearance activities be postponed and that action j. towards closure and demolition should be taken only (a) in those cases in which the dwellings were in such a condition as to be liable to cause positive harm to the health of the inmates, (b) vvhere these conditions were incapable of being remedied. Under these categories action has been ' taken under Section 11 or 12 of the Housing Act in twenty-five cases.