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176
1903]
2. Bakehouses which could be made to comply with the Act, but only
after structural alterations.
3. Bakehouses which in their opinion could not be made to comply with
the requirements, unless serious structural alterations were made, and
about which they were not prepared to advise the occupiers. In the
first category there were 30 bakehouses, in the second 69, and in the
third 18.
Immediately after the Public Health Committee had visited a bakehouse
the occupier was informed in writing of their decision, and was at the same
time requested to send them as soon as convenient a plan and specification of
the alterations which they proposed to execute to meet their requirements.
These communications led to very many consultations between your Medical
Officer of Health and the occupiers or owners, or their architects and builders.
The specifications soon began to be sent in ; and when a batch had been
received the Committee fixed an appointment at each bakehouse with its owner
or occupier, at the same time requesting him to have his architect or builder
present, so that the specification might be discussed with him.
At these interviews such alterations and additions were made by the Committee
as seemed to them to be necessary. The work was long and laborious,
but the Committee did not flinch from its duty, although it became necessary
for them to visit several of the bakehouses several times before the
specifications were deemed satisfactory. Even then their work was not
finished because as soon as the alteration at each bakehouse had been completed
they again visited it, and with the amended specification in their hands saw
for themselves that the proposed works had been duly executed. At the end of the
year 94 bakehouses had been certified by the Council, and at the time of writing
this report every underground bakehouse, except four, which are closed, had
been put into a sanitary state, and consequently will be certified in due course.
The chief requirements of the Public Health Committee were as follows :—
1. A height of not less than eight feet throughout.
2. A capacity of not less than 1,000 cubic feet.
3. Permanent inlet and outlet ventilators, other than windows.
4. Smooth walls, impervious to damp, made by the use of parian or
ordinary cement (troweled).
5. Smooth floors, impervious to damp, consisting of 6 inches of concrete
floated with cement; or York flags with well grouted joints.
6. Windows to provide efficient (day) light, and so constructed as to prevent
the entrance of dust.
7. Closed-in ceilings, smocth, covered with parian cement.