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After discussion, it was agreed to recommend the Vestry to support
the action of the Clerkenwell Vestry in their endeavour to obtain a
more uniform system in the amount of penalties imposed in the
Metropolis under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, and that for the
second and each subsequent offence the amount of the previous fine
should be doubled. To this the Vestry agreed.
Table VI. in the appendix gives a summary of the work completed
in my department during the year 1896. For full details I must
refer the Vestry to the report presented in January by Mr. Foot to the
Sanitary Committee; this report the Committee desired should be
made direct to them, instead of in the usual way through the
Medical Officer to the Vestry, and by their direction this was done.
Mr. Foot reports a gross total of 27,464 visits made by the Inspectors
under his control, an increase of 4,798 visits over the total
of the previous year; seventy-three per cent. of these visits were reinspections,
six and a half per cent. were visits to cases of infectious
disease, and a like proportion of visits were for the purpose of investigating
complaints, whilst twelve and a half per cent. were house
to house inspections. I have no hesitation in saying that the
periodical inspection of his district is the most important duty of
an Inspector; grave Sanitary defects of construction are discovered
at a first visit and when known can be remedied, but it is only by
re-inspection at short intervals and worrying people in an informal