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219
[1901
There are probably many hundreds of outworkers employed in other trades
than those scheduled; such as book-folders, cigarette makers, certain branches of confectionery,
and other processes in which the preparation of food stuffs is involved. As at
present the employers are not compelled to notify them, it is impossible to ascertain to what
extent these industries are carried on as domiciliary businesses.
In a series of regulations now before the Belgian Senate it has been deemed necessary
to include them.
As an additional reason for this measure it is believed that in certain branches the
labour is of so unskilled a nature (labelling, wrapping, etc.) that there is a tendency to
keep children employed, not only before and after school hours, but during attendance
times, where it is possible to evade the law.
An instance of the value of this registration in the prevention of the spread of
infectious disease was brought to your notice during the year. In November I reported to
you a case in which some widows' caps were returned to the factory by the homeworker,
immediately on the doctor's diagnosis of scarlet fever, and before disinfection could be
carried out. Having been exposed to infection prompt measures were taken to trace them,
as they had already been sent from one warehouse to another. The matter was duly reported
to you, and they were ultimately found in the dispatch department of a City house.
The Public Health Authority at the Guildhall were informed by telephone and the caps and
other articles with which they had been in contact disinfected.
A similar case occurred shortly afterwards when two dozen hat shapes were traced to
the City, and there disinfected on the receipt of your letter. In both these instances the
work was returned to the factory before the visit of the District Inspector re disinfection,
etc. It is therefore probable that if the premises had not already been registered as domicliary
workshops nothing further would have been heard of the work and the infected goods
would have been sold to the public.
Seventeen cases of infectious disease occurred on the homeworkers' premises during
the year. Disinfection was duly carried out in each instance under the supervision of the
district inspector.

The general conditions under which homework is carried on in Islington remain
fairly satisfactory. Out of 946 inspections made only 76, or 8 per cent, of the places visited
were reported unsatisfactory because of the unwholesome domostic conditions. Seventy
statutory defects, consisting of dirty walls and ceilings, defective w.c. accommodation and
want of sanitary refuse bins were found and have been remedied.