London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Bethnal Green 1895

Report on the sanitary condition and vital statistics of the Parish of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green during the year 1895

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38
the supply of water within their district for many years to
come.
(6) That for the protection of the consumer against unavoidable
temporary intermissions of the supply, we consider
that there would be distinct advantage in having properly
designed means for storage of water in houses."
RE-ORGANISATION OF THE SANITARY STAFF.
The first rough attempt in this direction was made some ten
years ago when Messrs. J. W. and W. W. Burrows retired from their
positions as Sanitary Inspectors. Up to this period the only records
kept in the office were a simple complaint book and the Sanitary
Committee minute book; no report sheets were used, and no clerical
assistance was afforded to the Inspectors. The constitution of the
staff was discussed at several meetings of the Sanitary Committee,
and the Vestry was recommended to appoint a Chief Inspector, two
Assistants, and a Clerk. This recommendation was not accepted,
but the Clerk was agreed to, and it was ultimately decided that
there should be two Inspectors, each responsible for a district comprising
as nearly as possible one half of the parish. One of these
was apportioned to Mr. Lapworth, and Mr. Weston was appointed
to the other. Mr. Meadway was selected as Sanitary Clerk, and a
scheme of records, report forms, and notices was devised and
approved by the Sanitary Committee.
As soon as the new officers entered on their duties I commenced
to attend at the Vestry Hall daily for the purpose of supervising the
work of the department. This was resented by the Senior Inspector,
who complained that he had not been accustomed to work in " leading
strings,'' and preferred to be responsible solely to the Committee.
The matter was discussed, and a proposal that "the Inspectors be
ordered to report daily to the Medical Officer of Health, and to act
generally under his supervision" was lost and the consideration of
the whole matter was postponed.
Affairs drifted on in the old way until the year 1888, when an
"inquiry into the immediate sanitary requirements of the Parish"
was held in accordance with a recommendation of the Royal Commission
on the Housing of the Working Classes.