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London Country Council.
SANITARY OFFICERS.
Report by the Medical Officer on the Sanitary Staffs of the Corporation of the City of
London and of the Metropolitan Boroughs.
(Printed by order of the Public Health Committee, 9th Jane, 1910).
I present herewith a return of the sanitary officers in London similar to those published
between 1893 and 1908.

It will be observed that in 1906 the number of men inspectors was four less than in 1904, and
that in 1908 there was a further reduction of two men. Since 1908, however, the number of men
inspectors has been increased to 286, or one more than in 1904, this result being due to the
appointment of additional inspectors in the following districts:—Bermondsey, 3; St. Marylebone, 4;
the City of London, Deptford, St. Pancras, and Wandsworth, 1 each, whilst Finsbury, Paddington,
Southwark and Stoke Newington have reduced their staffs of men inspectors by one each. In the
case of Southwark it should be stated that the borough council has not yet definitely decided that the
vacancy shall not be filled. It might also be mentioned that Camberwell, Deptford and Greenwich
have each at the present time one inspector less than in 1904, but that Greenwich is contemplating an
increase of staff.
The number of women inspectors since 1908 has increased by one, there being two new appointments,
one each in Hampstead and Stoke Newington, and a reduction in Finsbury, where a vacancy
recently occurring has not yet been filled. In the case of Stoke Newington the woman inspector occupies
also the position of health visitor, and has taken the place of one of the men inspectors who obtained
an appointment elsewhere.
Concerning the appointment of health visitors, I may mention that for some years past some
of the borough councils have appointed health visitors, and others have utilised for the purpose of the
work of health visitors the services of the women sanitary inspectors. The Local Government Boar d
having expressed the opinion that this work formed no part of the duty of a sanitary inspector as
prescribed by the Board in its General Order of 1891, the County Council, in repaying from the
County Fund the moiety of salaries of sanitary officers, was compelled to deduct certain agreed suras
for the proportion of time devoted to the duties of a health visitor. For this and other reasons, the
Council in its General Powers Bill of 1908 included clauses empowering borough councils to appoint,
subject to the regulations of the Local Government Board, suitable women (to be known as health
visitors) for the purpose of giving advice as to the nurture, care and management of children, and
the promotion of cleanliness. For its own part the Council sought to be empowered to repay out of the
County Fund a sum not exceeding one-half of the salary of any such properly appointed health visitor.
These clauses passed into law, and came into force on the 1st January, 1909. Regulations, made under
the Act, prescribing the qualifications, mode of appointment, duties, salary and tenure of office, were
issued by the Local Government Board in September, 1909. Under these regulations twelve wholetime
health visitors have been appointed, and six women sanitary inspectors have been appointed also
as part,-time health visitors. In several boroughs the work of health visitors is still done by the
women sanitary inspectors who have not yet been appointed specially for this purpose. Details of the
duties of these officers are shown in the return.
*Appointed under the Council's General Powers Act, 1908, section 6.
1000—5.8.10—1573 S.S./3674