Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Report upon the public health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Battersea during the year1894
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instead of the Police, and will probably considerably increase
the work of the Sanitary Department in the near future.
Work-shops, Work-places and Factories are also placed
under the supervision of the Sanitary Authority with certain
duties as to giving notice to the Factory Inspector when children,
young persons, or women are employed. It is also the duty of
the Authority to see that proper and separate accommodation is
provided for each sex.
Sec. 47 provides that a medical officer of health or sanitary
inspector shall examine all articles intended for the food of man
if unsound, and shall sieze the same and obtain an order from a
Justice for its destruction. The fine is raised to a maximum of
£50 for every animal or parcel of food condemned, and should
a person be so convicted twice in twelve months the Court may
order a notice of the facts to be affixed to his premises for a
period not exceeding twenty-one days. Should a person find
himself in the possession of unsound food he himself may give
notice to the Vestry, who must remove the same as trade refuse
and this procedure would seem to relieve him of the penalties
mentioned.
Sec. 48 contains the important provision that a newlyerected
dwelling-house must not be occupied until a certificate
has been obtained of the Sanitary Authority to the effect that a
proper and sufficient supply of water exists. This section seems
to be now more generally understood and imposes much work on
the Sanitary Department. The following sections 49,50,51,52,
53 and 54, apply inter alia to water supply generally.
Secs. 55, 56 and 57 re-enact, as elsewhere stated, the provisions
of the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act.
Secs. 59, 60 and 61 require the authority to make provisions
for the disinfection of clothing, &c., which provision has been
duly made by the Vestry. The subsequent sections provide