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 1903
Forty-eighth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Borough of Islington
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175
[1903
The inspectors report that, in addition to the defective w.c. accommodation, they found the following, among other, sanitary defects:—
| Female. Inspector. | Male. Inspector. | Totals. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water cisterns dirty or defective | 18 | ||
| Dustbins wanting or defective | 92 | ||
| Drains defective in joints | 8 | 26 | |
| „ unventilated or untrapped | 16 | 16 | |
| W.c.'s defective or dirty | 108 | 161 | |
| Miscellaneous | 76 |
Vide also Tables CXVI. and CXVII., which fully set out the various matters
dealt with by your Inspectors.
Bakehouses.—There are in Islington 266 bakehouses, of which 108 are
overground and 117 underground, in addition to 4 which are not in use.
Underground Bakehouses.—During the year the underground bakehouses
received very special attention in consequence of the clause of the Factory and
Workshop Act which requires that (1) " an underground bakehouse shall not
be used as a bakehouse unless it was so used at the passing of this Act" {i.e.,
August 17th, 1901). (2) " Subject to the foregoing provision, after the xst day
of January, 1904, an underground bakehouse shall not be used unless certified
by the district council to be suitable for this purpose." (3) " An underground
bakehouse shall not be certified unless the district council is satisfied that it is
suitable as regards construction, light, ventilation, and in all other respects."
The Public Health Committee, on whom fell the duty of reporting to the
Council, undertook the work which devolved on them in a very serious spirit,
and in August, 1902, caused a circular letter to be sent to every person
occupying an underground bakehouse informing him of his obligations under
the Act, and requesting him to forward a plan of his bakehouse. Nearly every
one complied with this request. About the same time your Medical Officer of
Health made a minute inspection of each bakehouse, and in December, 1902,
presented a very detailed report to the Committee of the conditions which had
been noted. These reports were printed, and were duly considered, with the
result that they agreed to demand certain requirements, having due regard to
the peculiar and existing conditions of each bakehouse. These requirements
were printed in the report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1902.
With these requirements before them the Committee visited every underground
bakehouse, and classified them in the following manner: —
1. Bakehouses which could be easily adapted to the requirements of the
Act without structural alterations.