AMERSHAM RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH and the CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR for the year 1959 CHAIRMAN; Major G, Boyce, M.3.E., M.C., J«P. PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE Chairman: F.H. Hancock Vice-Chairman: E.A. Alliott Councillors: Mrs. E. Bell Mrs. W. Gorkish Mrs. L.M. Gibb W. A. Cummins 0. E. Hansen Ii. R. Hoare F.W.E. King, M.B.E. J. Milliner. S.E.A. Tunks W.D. Young Public Health Officers Medical Officer of Health: P. Seymour, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H. The Medical Officer of Health is also Medical Officer of Health for Chesham Urban' District ‘ Counci?,, Beacons field Urban District Council, Deputy Divisional School Medical Officer and Assistant County Medical Officer. Chief Public Health Inspector: Mr. F.G. Caudery, F.A.P.H.I,, TV/T ID Q XT ifi© ^ XI# $ (Certified Meat and Food Inspector) Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector: Mr. W.E. Jones, M.A.0P,H.I., (Certified Meat and Food Inspector) Additional Public Health Inspectors: Mr. R« Powell, M.A.P.H.I. (Certified Meat and Food Inspector). Mr. H.H. Cometson, M.A.P.H.I. (Certified Meat and Food Inspector). Mr. R. Charnick, M.A»P.H.I. (Certified Meat and Food Inspector). (Appointed 1st November, 1959). Mr. J.Ae Clifford, M0A0PoH»I. (Certified Meat and Food Inspector) (Transferred to Surveyors Department 15-A-1959). Clerical Staff: Mr. T0 Ball (Chief Clerk) Mrso P.D. Birkhead (Appointed 7th September, 1959) Miss M. Deaney (Appointed 2?th July, 1959) Miss W.F. Allen (Resigned 6th August, 1959) Rodent Officer: Mr. H.A. Snapes Public Health Departments, Council Offices, High Streets, Amersham, Bucks, June, I960, Tel, Amersham 565. To the Chairman and Members of the Amersham Rural District Council, Dear Mr, Chairman and Members, I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the environmental health and sanitary circumstances of the Council's district for the year 1959. It is a great pleasure to record the co-operation and help given by the Chief Public Health Inspector and other members of the Public Health Department, The year has also been one of most useful co-operation between this Department and all other branches of the Health and Welfare Services. Comments are given in each section to highlight those matters considered to be of importance, I have the honour to be, Your obedient servant, P. SEYMOUR. ARRANGEMENT OF THE REPORT Section I GENERAL iHD VITAL STATISTICS Section II GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES Hospital Services Laboratory Services Ambulance Facilities Home Nursing Services Child Welfare Centres Hospitals Family Planning Association Section III NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACTS 194-9-51 Sections 47 and 50. Section IV PREVALENCE AMD CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES Cases notified 1959 and 1958 Acute Poliomyelitis Diphtheria Whooping Cough Tuberculosis - New Cases and Mortality 1959 B.C.G, Vaccination 1959 Mass Radiography Surveys 1958 and 1958. Health Education. Section V SANITARY CIRCUISLANCES General Administration Water supply Drainage and SewerAge Refuse Disposal Atmospheric Pollution Council houses and Camps Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1958 House Purchase and Housing Act, 1959 Housing Act, 1957 Rent Act, 1957 Moveable Dwellings Pest Destruction Section VI INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD Milk & Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959 - Regulation 20 Milk Sampling Ice Cream Sampling Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955 Meat Inspection at Slaughterhouses Section VII FACTORIES ACT AND MISCELLANEOUS APPENDICES I and II GENERAL AND VITAL STATISTICS GENERAL STATISTICS Population. 51*490 Area (Acres) of District. 46*233 Nwriber of Habitable Houses (per rate book)16,102 Rateable value of Area.. ...£789*892 Net product of a Penny Rate l959/60(Estd)£32l0 VITAL STATISTICS Live Births Males Females Total Legitimate 417 442 859 Illegitimate 17 17 34 434 459 893 Crude birth rate per 1,000 population........ 17.3 Corrected birth rate per 1,000 population 17.0 (Comparability factor 0.98) Illegitimate live births per cent of total live births........ 3. 8 S tillbirths 18 Still birth rate per 1,000 live and still births.. 19.7 Total live and s till births .911 Infant deaths (deaths under 1 year).. 23 Infant Mortality Rate per 1,000 live births 25.8 " " " " " leg. live births.. 22.1 " " " " "illeg. live births..117.6 (Too much significance should not be attached to the Infant mortality rate per 1,000 illegitimate live births because of the small numbers involved). Neo-natal Mortality Rate (deaths under 4 weeks per 1,000 total live births) 16,8 Early Neo-natal Mortality Rate (deaths under 1 week) per 1,000 total liTre births 15.7 Perinatal Mortality Rate (stillbirths and deaths under 1 week combined) per 1,000 total live and still births 35.1 Maternal deaths (including abortion). Nil Maternal Mortality Rate per 1,000 live and s till births Nil Causes of Death 1. Tuberculosis (respiratory) 2. Tuberculosis (other) 3» Meningococcal infection 4* Other infective and parasitic diseases 5. Malignant neoplasm, stomach 6. Malignant neoplasm, lung, bronchus 7» Malignant neoplasm, breast 8, Malignant neoplasm, uterus 9* Other malignant & lymphatic neoplasms 10o Leukaemia, aleukaemia 11. Diabetes 12. Vascular lesions of nervous system 13. Coronary disease, angina 14. Hypertension with heart disease 13. Other heart disease 16. Other ciroula.tory disease 17. Influenza 18. Pneumonia 19. Bronchitis 20. Other diseases of respiratory system 21. Ulcer of stomach and duodenum 22. Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea 23. Nephritis and nephrosis 24. Hyperplasia of prostate 23. Congenital malformations 2.6. Other defined and ill-defined diseases 27. Motor vehicle accidents 28. All other accidents 29. Suicide Crude death rate per 1,000 population.... x Corrected death rate per 1,000 population (Comparability factor 1.01) Males Females Tota 1 — 1 1 — 1 1 - 1 1 1 2 4 6 10 15 2 17 - 7 7 - 2 2 22 33 55 5 2 7 4 - 4 22 49 71 42 32 74 2 3 5 15 34 49 9 14 23 • - 5 5 R 22 25 47 h 11 3 14 5 2 7 1 3 i J 4 0 2 - - 3 4 — 2 6 8 * 18 26 44 f| 4 2 £ 7 11 13 24 H| 2 2' 1 £ L 226 273 30: 0 % 9.7 9.8 g x The corrected Birth and Death rates are those which are obtained when the crude local rates are adjusted to make allowance for the way in which the sex and age distribution of the local population differs from that for England and Wales. Particulars of Accidents (other than motor vehicle accidents) resulting in death. Whilst the number of persons dying from motor vehicle accidents fel there was a large increase compared with last year in the number of pers dying from other accidents:- No. Died Type of Accident Ages 14 Fall 90, 82, 60, 83, 92, 79, 83, 92, 90, 81, 47, 91, 88, 87. 2 Burns 90, 71. 2 Coal gas poisoning (domestic gas cooker) 64, 00* LO, 1 Scalded (whilst taking bath) 84. 2 Barbiturate posioning 35, 83. 1 Fa.ll from ladder 65. 1 Accidental drowning 81. GENERAL PROVISION 0? HEALTH SERVICES. Hospital Services; The Amersham Rural District is situate! in the area of the High Wycombe and District Management Committee of the Oxford Regional Hospital Board, Hospitals Available for thw District: Tuberculosis " Berks & Bucks Joint Sanatorium, Peppard Common, General - Chesham Cottage Hospital. it - Amersham General. Hospital. tf - Royal Bucks County Hospital, Aylesbury. f! - War Memorial Hospital, High Wycombe, ft - Chalfont & Gerrards Cross Hospital. Infectious Diseases - Aylesbury Isolation Hospital. Laboratory Facilities; Bacteriological laboratory facilities are provided by the Public Health Laboratories situated at Oxford and Luton. Samples of water and sewage effluent for chemical analysis are sent to the Public Analyst, Southwark Borough Council, Ambulance Services: These services are administered by the County Council. The Amersham R,D*C. area is covered by the High Wycombe station, Pamily Planning Association. During the year, the Amersham, Chesham and District Branch of the Pamily Planning Association was formed. A clinic is now held in the Ante-natal Department at Amersham Hospital every Thursday at 6-30 p.m. MIDWIFERY- AND HOME NUTSING SERVICE NATURE OF THE AMLANGEMEIJTS IN THE AREA Districts Served inters ham ) imersham Common ) Chesham Bois ) Coleshill ) Winchmore Hill ) Little Chalfont ) Chalfont St. Giles ) Seer Green ) J ordans ) Three Households ) Chalfont St. Peter ) Gold Hill ) "Kingsway" , G.X. ) Chorley Wood ) (Bucks Area) ) Lee Common ) The Lee ) Chartridge ) Ballinger ) Swan Bottom ) Potter Row ) Pednor Yale ) Ashley Green ) Whelpley Hill ) Ley Hill ) Lye Green ) Latimer & Chenies ) Holmer Green ) Penn Street ) Penn ) Forty Green ) Kiiotty Green ) Tylers Green ) Little Hampden ) Little Kingshill ) Hyde Heath ) Little Missenden ) Great Missenden ) Hawridge ) Bellingdon ) Asheridge ) Buekland Common ) St. Leonards ) Cholesbury ) The Vale, Chesham ) Prestwood ) Gt. Kingshill ) Spurlands End ) Heath End ) Name, Address and Qualifications of Nurses Telephone Mss P. Harper, S.E.A.N., S.C.M., and Miss M. Inglis, S.R.N., S.C.M., 7, First Avenue, Arnersham. imersham 374 Miss M.C. Bott, S.R.N,, S.C.M., Q.N., Holme Lacey, London Road, Chalfont St. Giles. Chal.St,Giles 413 Miss M.E. Wright,S.R.N., S.C.M., Q.N. and Miss M.F. Vincent, S.R.N., S.C.M., Q.N., Nos. 1 and 3, Pennington Road, The Gerr. X Glebe, Chalfont St. Peter. 4030/1 Mrs. B.L. Fowler, S.R.N., S.C.M., Q.N., 17a, Berkeley Chesham Avenue, Chesham. 391 x Miss M, Ely, S.R.N., S.C.M., Shenley Cottage, Ley Hill, Chesham Chesham. 8238 Miss I.M. Cobb, S.R.N., S.C.M., Q,N0, 3, Rose Avenue, Hazlemere, High Wycombe. Penn 3327 x Miss J.D. MacDonald, S.R.N., S.C.M., Q.N., Nurse's Cottage Gt. Miss. Rignall Road, Great Missenden. 2071 x Mss J.E. Fordham, S.R.N., S.C.M., Nurse's Bungalow. Sandpit Hill, Buekland Common, Nr. Tring, Herts. Choles. 269 x Mss H.M.E. Coulson, S.R.N., Gt. Mss, S.C.M., Q.N., Chestnut Cottage, 2209 Sixty Acres, Prestwood, Gt. Mss. x These Nurses hold the Health Visitors Certificate of the Royal Society of Health. CHILD WELFARE CENTRES Centre Location Sessions Medical Office] attends Arnersham British Legion Hall, 2nd & At h 2nd Tuesc Old Town. Whielden Street. Tuesday Amersham Community Centre, 1st & 3rd Each Sess New Town. Wood side Rood, Amer sham- on- the-Hill. Tuesday Chalfont St. Memorial Hall. 2nd & 2fth 2nd Thur: Giles. Thursday Chalfont St. Tithe Bam, Swan Farm. Each Fri. 1st & 3rc Peter. Friday Chartridge. Village Hall, Chartridge. 3rd Thurs. Each Ses: The Lee. Youth Club Hall, Lee Common. 1st Thurs. n i Chenies. Florence Brown 2nd & 2fth 2ft h Tucs Memorial Hall, Hillside Rood, Chorley Wood. Ties day Cho'lesbury-cum- Village Hall, 2nd & 2ft h 4th Thursi St. Leonards. Cholesbury. Thurs. Coleshill. Village Hall. Closed November. Great Kingshill. Village Hall. 3rd Yifeds. 3rd Weds. Great Missenden. Memorial Hall, 2nd & 2fth 4th Weds. Station Approach. Weds. Holmer Green. Village Centre. 1st & 3rd Weds. 1st Weds. Little Chalfont. Little Chalfont Hall. 1st & 3rd Monday Each Sess. Prestwood. Village Hall. 2nd Weds. 2nd Weds. Seer Green & Baptist Schoolroom, 1st & 3rd 3rd Thursi J ordans. Seer Green. Thurs. Tylers Green & Parish Room, Last Rods. Last Weds Penn. Tylers Green. in month. Beaeonsfield. The Old Rectory. 1st & 3rd Friday 2 p.m. each month. Each Sess Holtspur. Congregational Hall. 1st & 3rd 3rd Tuesd Tuesday 2 p.m. each month. each mont Chesham. School Clinic, Germain 1st, 2nd 2nd.and 1 Street. 3rd & 2fth Friday. Friday. Chesham Community Hall, Pond Park. YdLndsor Road. 2nd & 2ft h 2nd Monda Monday. NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACTS, 1046 - 1931 Sections 47 end 50« It has not proved necessary to take any action under these sections during the year. SECTION IV. PREV'AENCB AND CONTROL OF IirECTIOUS DISEASE: • NOTIFICATIONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES Cases of Infectious Diseases notified during the year are given below, together with comparative figures for 1958;- Cases Notified i 1959 ' 1958 1 | Measles 589 598 | Whooping Cough 3 22 (Scarlet Fever 4 6 41 ; Pneumonia 22 18 1 Poliomyelitis - (a) Paralytic _ 1 (b) Non-Paralytic - ; Puerperal Pyrexia 6 20 Erysipelas 1 3 iDysentery 0 1 iFood Poisoning 0 1 1 Tuberculosis i Pulmonaiy 17 15 1 Non-Pulmonary l 2 Acute Poliomyelitis. No cases of poliomyelitis were notified during the yeax. At the time of writing the group eligible for vaccination has been extended to include"those aged from :six months up to AO years. Poliomyelitis is not as common in the 25-40 age group but when the disease does occur it is a more serious one. Although no accurate figures for the district are available, the response of the older age -groups has been disappointing. The great majority of parents in this age group will have ensured that their children are protected. I hope their aim will how be 11 protection for the" whole'faliily". Diphtheria; It is gratifying to note that 1959 was the 13th consecutive year during which the district has been free from Diphtheria. In 1959 5&fo of children aged 0-1 years and Jlfo of those aged 1-2 years had been immunised against this disease. The re-appearonce of diphtheria in a neighbouring area, even though on a limited scale, emphasises the continued need for immunisation against diphtheria during infancy, and the importance Whooping Cough: 3 cases were notified during the ye Of the children in the district approximately 59% had been immunised by the time they reached the age of 12 months. Tuberculosis: The following table shows the new cases of tuberculosis and the deaths from the disease, arranged in age groupss- New Age Periods Respiratory i Years ! M; F 0 1 5 15 25 35 45 55 o5 & over 1 I 2 ix I t _ Total Cases Deaths Noh-Respiratory Respiratory' Non-Respirat o M : P M F M ; F ; , J B, C, G. VACCINATION AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS: B.C.G. vaccination is provided for children aged 13 years by the School Health Department. SUMMARY (la the Ame r sham £ Che sham Division) Total No. Tuberculin Tested 548 Percentage Positive Reactors..... .9.7% Percentage Non-Reactors . 90.3% A positive reaction indicates that the child has already been infected with tuberculosis and has thereby acquired a degree of protection from further infection with the disease. Children showing a strongly positive reaction are further investigated by the County Chest Physician. Non-reactors are vaccinated at the time the preliminary tests are read. MISS NINIAIUEE RADIOGRAPHY SURVEY (Amershara & Che shorn). The results of the 1958 Mass Miniature Radiography Survey were very similar to those of the 195^ survey, details of which I gave in my report last year. 1251 1251 1. No. examined. 8929 9383 2. % of eligible persons x-rayed. 20% 20% 3. % of General Public x-rayed (i.e. not in organised groups). 12% 14% 4. % of persons examined found to have significant chest lesions. 0.5 0.6 5. c/o of persons examined found to have During 1959 the Oxford Regional Hospital Board provided a mobile unit which regularly visited sites in the area to provide a chest X-ray service for General Practitioner referrals. It will be most interesting to study the results of tills experiment. HEALTH EDUCATION: The Council has received reports on:- (1) Mass Radiography Survey 1956. (2) Safety devices for gas appliances available for use by handicapped persons, (3) Dangers associated with Plastic Bags. (4) Fluoridation and the control of Dental carles. (5) The Relationship between Lung Cancer and Smoking. Through the help of the local press these matters have been brought to the Public notice. On at least one occasion mention was made of one of the above items on the South East Regional B.B.C. Hews. In addition a great deal of Health Education at its most effective level i.e. personal conversation^ is carried out during the routine work and visits of the Public Health Department Staff. SECTION V, SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA. I GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. The Public Health Inspectors continued to maintain their day-to- day inspections, including the regular visits to the two bacon factories, in order to ensure a 100$ inspection of the pig carcases * A glance at the summary of visits below shows over 1,000 inspections made in connection with improvement grants*, This high figure is, to some extent, explained by the fact that an annua], inspection is made of all dwellings in connection with which a grant has been made available in order to check that the conditions, are being observed* The following is a summary of the Public Health Inspectors4 visits during the year ;- NATURE OF VISIT OR INSPECTION GENERAL SANITATION Water Supply 35 Drainage . , 431 Stables and Piggeries 37 Verminous Premises 16 Tents, Vans and Sheda 263 Pet Animals Act 14 Factories and Workshops .................. 85 Outworkers 8 Bakehouses 18 Hairdressers and Barbers 4 Public Conveniences 6 Refuse Collection and Disposal ........... 93 Bats and Mice 10 Atmospheric Pollution 41- Schools 2 Miscellaneous Sanitary Visits ............ 3&6 “ W9 Public Health Act: No. of houses inspected 142 Public Health Act: No. of visits paid ...» 180 Housing Act: No. of houses inspected ..... 123 Housing Act: No. of visits paid 70 Overcrowding: No. of houses inspected .... 2 Overcrowding: No. of visits paid 2 Improvement Grants: Inspections ........ 1,031 Section 3.6; No, of houses inspected ...... 11 Section 3.6: No. of visits paid 26 Housing Applications: No, of visits paid.. 3.69 Certificates of Disrepair 27 Miscellaneous 137 —1,920 INFECTIOUS DISEASES Enquiries in oases of Infectious Diseases 75 Visits re. Disinfection 2 Miscellaneous Infectious Disease Visits.. 20 97 Carried forward 3,446 MEAT INSPECTION Brought forward 3,446 Visits to Slaughterhouses ... Shops and Stalls . „. ... Other Premis es ..» .., . ,. VISITS TO FOOD PREMISES 673 5 39 717 3ucchers ... •,. . o» •. * ., Dairies and Milk Distributors .. Fishmongers and Poulterers ... Food Preparing Premises ... G-rocers ... .., .o. «.o .. Greengrocers and Fruiterers .. Ice-cream premises ... ... .. Restaurants and Centeens ... .. Street Vendors and Hawkers! Carts . Licenced Premises ... ... Bakern.es ... ... ... ... .. 41 71 36 38 110 25 20 60 1 34 5 441 VISITS IN CONNECTION WITH SAMPLING Milk Sampling ... ... Egg Albumen Sampling .. Ice-cream Sampling ... later Sampling ... ... .i.1 aeces ... ... ... Utensil Swabs (sets.) ... Miscellaneous Food Visits • 0 • • 9 9 247 5 110 304 13 26 40 745 5,349 Informal Notices; Statutoi*y Notices; Served; 50 Served; 1 Complied with; 29 Complied with; 4 One of the Statutory Notices complied with necessitated rather drastic action. It concerned a house in connection with which the Water Undertakers found it necessary to disconnect the supply of water owing to wastage* Intimation of this action was given to the Department* A Notice was served on the owner to provide the premises with an adequate supply of wholesome water* This notice was not complied with* Before invoking the powers of entry, every possible effort was made to contact the owner/oocupier - an elderly widow* These efforts failed and it became necessary to obtain a warrant from the Magistrates* Court to enter the premises, if necessary by force. Notice of this was also given to the owner/occupier. Still no steps were taken to comply with the notice and in October an entry was made by force and the water supply was reinstated. WATER SUPPLY. The Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company is. the statutory undertaking which supplies water to the whole of the Council's district, with the exception of the parish of Choiesbury-cum-St.Leonards, and a portion of the parish of The Lee, which are served by the Bucks. Water Board. 76 samples of the mains water were taken from various parts of the district and submitted for bacteriological examination and chemical analysis© All the reports were satisfactory During the year, the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company carried out further extensions to their mains, aa follows 944 yds of 2 inch, 302 yds of 3 inch, 4*993 yds of 4 inch, 1,744 yds of 6 inch, 200 yds of 9 inch and 1,146 yds of 12 inch© Also 132 yards of 2” asbestos main was laid during the year by the Bucks. Water Board, 228 samples of water other than from the mains were submitted for bacteriological examination as follows Source of Supply Rainwater: Bore: 5 223 Of the 228 samples, 23 were found to be unsatisfactory as under: Rainwater: Bore: 2 21 The 21 unsatisfactory samples from boreholes were obtained from one of the bacon factories and the majority of these samples were taken at a point before the water is chlorinated, also in a number of cases the degree of pollution was very slight,, A few of the samples taken after chlorination were not entirely satisfactory and the owners of the bacon factory have been requested to instal a new chlorinating plant© Despite the exceptionally dry summer,the two water undertakings maintained a satisfactory supply and pressure of water throughout the district, with the exception of one high point where three houses were affected by a lack of pressure© A very small number of requests were received for a supply of water to be delivered by mobile tanks where no main is available, and such requests were referred to the County Fire Service. The County Fire Service has since discontinued this assistance, but a neighbouring authority is in a position to assist in the event of an emergency© DMINAG-E AND SEWERAGE The main centres of population at Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Old Town, Chalfont St, Peter, Chalfont St. Giles, and G-reat Missenden are sewered, and at the time of the preparation of this Report the Prestwood Sewerage Scheme had been completed (January, i960). The whole of the sewage from these areas drains to the Misbourne Valley, and thence to the West Herts. Drainage Board's works at Maple Cross, on the outskirts of PLickmanswor bh. By January, 1961, the Sewerage Scheme at Kolmer Green will be completed, and this will, in addition, be connected to the trunk sewer in the Misbourne Valley, There are smaller schemes of sewerage also in course of preparation. A small area at Chesham Bois is drained to the Chesham Urban District Council's disposal works© In the Report for 1958, reference was made to serious infiltration of sub-soil water into the sewers, and in the early spring the Council resolved to make an intensive and concentrated effort to locate the sources of this infiltration and to remedy the cause of the trouble. Staff was delegated for this purpose and private drains and sewers were systematically examined in the localities where a high water table was known to exist. The lengths concerned were submitted to air tests by use of special equipment developed for this purpose to make progressive yard by yard testing possible. This approach was successful and accm-ate assessment of the condition of individual lengths were recorded. Experience gained in the 1 7. .1.J o first few months led to the re-designing of the equipment to enable the older type of drains with restricted access to be checked,, As a result of the information so obtained,, action has ■ een commenced under the Public Health Act, 1936, to remedy the faulty drains and sewers. Wherever possible the current practice of using flexibly jointed pipework has been adopted as this type of construction is ideally suited to prevailing conditions and should obviate future trouble0 The method of drainage in other parts of the area is by cesspool or by' means of a septic tank and soakaway into the chalk. Mention has been made in previous reports of the complaints of overflowing cesspools and the long delay in dealing with applications for the emptying of them. Whilst there has been a slight improvement in this connection, the position is still far from satisfactory. COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OP REFUSE Although it was not possible to provide a weekly collection of refuse throughout the Council's area, the average period between collections showed some slight improvement. There was no improvement in the labour position, and the Council reviewed the incentive bonus scheme with a view to alleviating the position. The disposal of refuse was by controlled tipping at Amersham and by the use of disused brickworks at Prestwood and Chalfont St. Giles. During 'the early part of tie year, further complaints were received of fly nuisance from residents in the near vicinity of the Amersham tip. As a result of considerable improvements inthe methods employed, and the use of more covering material, some of which had to be imported, it is pleasing to report that no complaints were received during the last six months of the year. Conditions, however, at Prestwood were not at all satisfactory. The owner of the site who is under contract to receive the refuse and to properly dispose of it, was warned that, unless conditions improved, the matter would be reported to the Council's Public Health Committee. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION No steps were taken to declare any part of the Council's area as a smokeless zone. Complaints were received in respect of a chimney from the smoke curing section of a bacon factory. The firm agreed to discontinue the use of this chimney pending advice from the manufacturers of the smoke curing equipment. A complaint was also received of the burning of cable for base metal recovery. When the owner of the land was advised that this constituted a change of use of the land and that Town Planning permission would h$ required, the operation ceased. A complaint was also received of excessive smoke being emitted by the railway engines and as a result of a visit by the Smoke Inspector of British Railways considerable improvement has been effected. HOUSING The number of properties shown below controlled by the Council at the end of December, 1959* was 2,721, as compared with December, 1958, when it was 2,703. The range of properties is as followss- Housing Accommodation Pre-war Council houses ... Post-war Council houses Prefabricated bungalows War-time buildings converted Hodgemoor Estate ... Dec., 1958 I )ec.» 1959 662 .., 662 1,920 ... 1,957 90 ... 85 2 - 29 17 2,721 2,703 24. During the year the Pipers TSood site was cleared and derequisitioned and further progress was made with the clearance of the Hodgemoor site* Consideration was also given to the redevelopment of one of the sites on which there are prefabricated buildings. The proposal envisaged the removal of the prefabricated buildings and the erection on the site of blocks of multi-storey flats0 Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1958 (Discretionary G-ra.nts) A further 57 formal Certificates of Approval to applications for improvement grants were issued for the improvement of 65 dwellings, and the total amount of the grants given was £13,A2A* A summary of the applications approved since the inception of the provisions is given below:— Year 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1 1 2 9 29 72 50 45 55 57 Total Grants £ 261 269 394 2,465 9,802 18,225 13,440 11,473 13,961 13,424 It will be seen from the above that there was no slackening in the number of applications for improvement grants compared with previous years. There are numerous dwellings throughout the area which are still lacking the five standard amenities, and every encouragement is given to landlords to take advantage of the improvement grant provisions. House Purchase This Act became operative during the year and up to the end of the year 16 formal Certificates of Approval to applications for Standard Grants were issued for the improvement of 16 dwellings, and the maximum of the grants approved was £1,805. Housing .Act, 1957 Slum Clearance Programme Further limited progress was made in the implementation of the Council's programme for dealing with the list of a total of 284 dwellings which was submitted to the Minister in August, 1955. A summary of the position at the 31st December, 1959 is given overleaf:- Demolished or Demolition commenced ... ... ... ... 9/ Subject to a Demolition Order end now vacai ' but not demolished 28 Subject to a Demolition Order, now vacant, but under reconstruction or reconstructed or to be reconstructed 18 Subject to a Demolition Order, but still occupied ... 27 Subject to a Closing Order and now vacant ... ... ... 7 Subject to a Closing Order and still occupied ... ... 2 Subject to an Undertaking either (a) to use for purposes other than human habitation or (b) to render fit for human occup ation ... ... ... ... ..o ... o.® 2ij- Improved and Rendered fit by Informal Action 18 Rendered fit by formal action ... 15 Proposals pending for Reconstruction, formalities postponed 3 Now used for purposes other than human habitation,voluntarily 11+ No Action to date ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 2dl+ Progress was again limited to a very great extent because of the reduction in the Council’s building programme, find the consequent lack of houses for rehousing the occupants of the sub-standard dwellings« The day-to-day complaints of housing defects were in the main dealt with by Informal Action and the following is a summary of the defects remedied by Normal and Informal Action;- Cesspool accommodation repaired or provided ... Drains repaired, altered, renewed or improved .., Repairs to roofs (dampness abated) ... Repairs to roofs, walls and chimneys ... .». Repairs to sanitary conveniences Repairs to doors and windows .,. Vater supply re-instated ... ... ... ... Disposal of dead poultry by burning ... 2 19 3 1 1 1 1 1 29 RENT ACT, 1957. During the year a Certificate of the remedying of defects was issued following an undertaking given in the previous year and one Certificate of Disrepair which was issued the previous year was cancelled; two app]ications for Certificates of Disrepair were received during the year and In one case an Undertaking was given bjr the land- lord following the service of a Notice of intention to issue a Certi.fica.te of Disrepair, and in the other case a Certificate of Disrepair was issued0 Prom the above it will be apparent that there was very little activity under the Rent Act, which leads us to the conclusion that the tenants’ rights are not widely known or, if they are, the tenants are for some reason or another reluctant to take advantage of them. 1 c MOVEABLE DIALLINGS The Council approved 39 applicati' ns for new licences to erect, station and use moveable dwellings, but a number of the existing licences were not renewed during the j^ear, and the total number of licences current on the 31st December, 1959> was 111, The number of familios who either voluntarily, or by force of circumstances, continue to use the caravan as a permanent home, shows no decrease. In addition to the above licences issued for use of individual caravans, there are in the district two licenced sites and one unlicenced site, all of which were fully occupied throughout the year. Towards the end of the year, the Council was giving consideration to the purchase of a site which had been approved by the Town Planning Authority for caravans. It is the intention of the Council to develop this land as a model site, RODENT INFESTATION AND DESTRUCTION The Council continued the policy of undertaking contracts in respect of agricultural land and business premises. The number of contracts renewed being 62 and the number of new contracts entered into being 19, The contract, in all cases, is for one year with a minimum of 1+ treatments. This is the first full year since the taking over of the contracts which were previously undertaken by the County Agricultural Committee, As a result of dealing with the main sources of infestation on the agricultural land, there have been fewer complaints of rat infestation at domestic premises during the year. Consequently there has not been the necessity to carry out block control on domestic premises and this mainly accounts for the considerable decrease in the number of premises inspected compared with last year0 A summary of the work done is given below: No, of premises inspected for rats, mice and glis-glis ... 977 Nc, of treatments to private premises for rats and mice ,407 No, of treatments to business premises for rats and mice ,, 22 No, of treatments to premises under contract for rats & mice 303 No, of Wasps’ Nests destroyed ... ,,, 273 No, oi glis—glis caught •«, ,,, ••• ,,, ,,, 10 One polecat was also caught and this was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Research Laboratories at Tolworth, Mention should be made of the large number of wasps’ nests destroyed. This is not a statutory duty under the Prevention of Damage by Pest,3 Act, but the Council undertook to carry out this work on a pre-payment basis for the reason that there is no other service available to the ratepayers. This work has also affected the number of visits made in connection with rat and mice infestation, Aji additional vehicle was purchased during the year, thus improving the mobility of the second rodent operative. DISINFECTION Two premises were disinfected following requests from the occupiers. It is not the normal practice to carry out terminal disinfection in connection with infectious diseases. SECTION VI, INSPECTION 2ND SUPERVISION OF FOOD Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959 "_Pggui_a-tlon 20 The Bucks County Council as the Food and Drugs Authority samples milk produced on farms in this district. These samples are sent for bacteriological examination primarily for Tubercle Bacilli„ The examination also reveals the presence of brucella organisms. When such organisms are isolated the District Medical Officer of Health is informed. During the year, one such report was received. The milk produced on the farm was already being pasteurised, and no further action was necessary. Milk Sampling 83 samples of T.T. milk, 129 of pasteurised milk, 34 of T.T./pasteurised milk and 1 of sterilised milk were obtained and submitted for examination and of these 22 samples failed the methylene blue test and 2 samples failed the phosphatase test. Of the above failures, however9 9 samples were invalidated because of the high atmospheric shade temperature and 8 repeat samples passed the prescribed test,, In all cases of unsatisfactory reports, active steps were taken immediately to ascertain the cause, 20 washed milk bottles were submitted for laboratory examination and the results were all satisfactory. Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949 Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations, 1949a During the year 31 Licences were issued under the above Regulations, 11 to use the designation "Tuberculin-tested", 13 to use the designation "Pasteurised" and 7 to use the designation "Sterilised". In addition to the above, 17 Supplementary Licences were issued, 6 to use the designation "Tuberculin-tested", 6 to use the designation "Pasteurised" and 3 to use the designation "Sterilised". Ice Cream 110 samples of ice-cream were submitted for bacteriological examination and the results were as unders- G-rade I Grade 2 SATISFACTORY... ... 101 ... 7 UNSATISFACTORY ... 2 The Inspectors continued their routine inspections of premises which are subject to the above Regulations a nd Informal Notices Yvere served in cases where contravention of the regulations was found0 441 visits have been made to all types of premises where food is prepared, stored or sold fo*' human consumption, Utensi1 Swabs 26 sets of utensil swabs were taken at various kitchens of canteens, cafes, hotels, etc. In four cases adverse reporta were received. Advice is given in such oases on the washing-up technique,. Meat The following table gives details of the number of animals slaughtered at the two bacon factories, and one private slaughterhouse, together with details of the post mortem inspection. The total amount of meat condemned at these slaughterhouses was 35 tons 16 cwt. 1 qr, 26 lbs,, and the total offal condemned was 9 tons 1 cwt, 3 qi’s, 19 lbs. Cattle excluding Cows Cows Calves Sheep and Lambs Pigs Number killed & inspected 7 4 2 "7 1 68,490 All diseases except Tuberoulosls Whole carcases condemned 1 2 190 Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned * . [TT , 4,981 Percentage of the number inspected affected with disease other than Tuberculosis 25% lOOfo 7.1% Tuberculosis Only Whole carcases condemned 42 Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned m 2,309 Percentage of the number inspected affected with Tuberculosis — mm mm — 3.1% Other Foodstuffs Condemned; Carcase Meat at Butchers* Shops .... Poultry, .. *. Sugar Soup Powder Salt ............. Flour Bis cuits Shell Fish • •. Frozen Foods 3 09 lbs. 1,612^ lbs. 155 lbs. 3 lbs. 7 lbs. 45 lbs. 48 lbs. 60 lbs. 5l£ packets Tinned Goods; Vegetables 5>000 tins Fruit .10,291 " Meat 855 " Milk 799 " Soup 742 ” Fish 852 " Jams 90 " The meat and offal condemned at the two bacon factories is either suitably processed on the premises or removed by a contractor, and in both cases it is used for the manufacture of soap and for animal feedingo The 1,612t5- lbs. of poultry was voluntarily surrendered at a poultry packing establishment and this, together with the tinned foods, was removed to the Council’s Refuse Disposal Site where it was immediately covered. Complaints were received of mouldy bread, mouldy pork pies, a piece of wood in a loaf of bread, a very sharp piece of metal in an almond tartlet and a hair in a shortbread biscuit. Warning was given to the manufe.ctueres of the bread, the almond tartlet and the short- bread biscuit In the case of the pork pies, it was found on investigation that they had been held too long in stock by the retailer, who was also given a warning,, Food A further 1+ premises were registered for the storage and/or sale of ice cream, making a total in the register of 172 premises registered, 154 for the manufacture, sale or storage of ice-cream, 14 for the preparation and manufacture of sausages and preserved foods, and 4 for fish frying, SLAUGHTERHOUSES* ACT, 1958 The four Licences to use premises as slaughterhouses expired on the 31st July, In the case of two of these premises the Regulations in force at the time were not in all respects being complied with. The applications for renewal of these two licences were refused,, The two remaining licences were renewed for a further period of one year. Some of the preliminary work was done in connection with the preparation of the Slaughterhouses Report in accordance with the requirements of the Slaughterhouses Reports (Appointed Day) Order, 1959® SLAUGHTER No. of Slaughterman's Licences renewed: 20 No, of New Licences issued: 1 PET ANIMALS ACT, 1951 Number of Licences issued; .. .. 2. GAME ACT, 1831 Number of Game Licences issued; .. 9« Number of Licences renewed; ., ..116. Number of new Licences issued; .. A« A total of 108 inspections were made under the Regulations0 BAG, FLOCK ..AND OTHER PILLING MATERIALS ACT, 1951. Number of Premises registered .. 3 BUCKS, COUNTY COUNCIL ACT, 1957 Under Section 52 of the above Act, all persons carrying <n the business of a Hairdresser or Barber’s Shop are iequired in register with the Local Authority and the number of persons and premisea registered at 31st December was 28, EPILOGUE One of the many varied requests for assistance received during the year concerned the damage being caused to the pointing of the brickwork of a number of houses by an unidentified insect. Samples were sent for identification and were described as ’Digger Bees’. They attack the pointing of brickwork, mainly on the sunny side of the buildings, and in time cause considerable damage, A suitable insecticide was applied and proved effective' "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them" ..........The Rodent Officer received an urgent call in the middle of an afternoon during the autumn to appear in "Tonight" that same evening to show specimens of Glis-glis. He promptly responded and was whirled away to the B.B.C., and after a hasty rehearsal lie found himself in front of the glaring television cameras. Local Government does sometimes have something to showj F. Seymour, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H. Medical Officer of Health, F.G, Caudery, M.R.S.H., F.A.P.H.I., Chief Public Health Inspector, APPENDIX FACTORIES ACTS, 1937 1959 1, INSPECTIONS for purposes of provisions us to health (including inspections made by Public Health Insj^ectors) Premises: Number Number of on Register I2L_ Inspec- tions (3) Written notices | Occupiers prosecuted (5) (i) Factories in which Sections 1, 2 3? 4, and 6 are to be enforced by Local Authorities ........ 7 (ii) Factories not included in (i) in which Section 7 is enforced by the Local Authority ........ 134 85 mm (iii) Other premises in which Section 7 is enforced by the Local Authority (excluding outworkers' premis es) ..................... Total 141 85 - - 2„ Cases in which DEFECTS were found PART VIII OF THE ACT Outwork