London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1893
Thirty-eighth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington
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From this it will be seen that one of your Inspectors is expected to protect the
Sanitary interests of oyer three times the number of persons that an Inspector in the
six greatest towns cares for.
Again—
Islington possesses one Inspector for every 4,783 inhabited houses.
The six towns „ one „ „ 2,645 „ „
In other words, an Islington Inspector has under his charge 1 4/5 houses (nearly 2
houses), for every one under the care of the Inspector in the large towns; but to
make your deficiency plainer, an Islington house contains 8·3 persons, whereas in the
six largest towns a house only contains 5·1 persons.
But if I take the fifteen large towns whose population is over 100,000, it will be
noticed that each Inspector there looks after 14,397 persons, and 2,700 houses, but a
house in these towns is occupied by only 5·3 people, instead of 8·3 persons as in
Islington. Therefore, arguing on this basis, your staff is very deficient.
Finally, if I compare Islington with the other districts in London, and here let me say that, generally speaking in sanitary matters, their example is by no means the best, and consequently not to be taken as a model, although, if there be anything good, by all means let us follow it, I find— London possesses one Inspector to each 27,403 persons, and „ „ one „ ,, 3,568 inhabited houses; and each house contains 7·6 persons, compared with Islington's 8·3.
| To each Inspector. | Persons in each House. | No of Inspectors required in Islington on the basis of the | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houses. | Persons. | Inhabited Houses in the several districts. | Population of the several districts. | ||
| Islington | 4,782 | 39,928 | 8·3 | — | — |
| Six greatest towns | 2,645 | 13,674 | 5·1 | 14·4 | 23·4 |
| Fifteen large towns | 2,700 | 14,397 | 5·3 | 14·1 | 22·2 |
| London | 3,566 | 27,403 | 7·6 | 10·7 | 11·7 |
| London, less Islington | 3,488 | 26,602 | 7·6 | 10·9 | 12·0 |
From this statement it will be seen that, whether judged by the standard of the
six largest towns, the fifteen towns over 100,000 inhabitants, or of London, your
Parish is found sadly wanting in sanitary supervision. I ask you to consider these
figures carefully; for I believe the more they are looked into, the more certainly will
the strong conviction be entertained by you, as the Committee having care of the
greatest interest that can be given to anybody, namely, the health of the community,
that your district requires more sanitary supervision, and therefore a considerable
addition to the staff of Sanitary Inspectors.