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

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Camberwell 1900

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.

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All the clerks should be able to write shorthand, further I think
that one of them should be a sufficiently skilled draughtsman to draw
plans of the reconstruction of drains when we have no chance of getting
the same from those whose duty it is to carry out the work.
At present there is no such record kept, and I think it is highly
desirable that this procedure should be adopted.
I should put one of the clerks on to the special duty of keeping a
biography, so to speak, of each house, noting everything which occurs
there.
All these additional clerks and the work that they will have to
carry out will need much closer and more detailed supervision than it is
possible for me to give, and I therefore recommend that provision should
be made for an officer, who should be a qualified Sanitary Inspector, to be
appointed, whose duty chiefly would be to see that all the clerical work of
the office is carried out.
(a) He would see that all complaints are duly entered and that
they are attended to and remedied without unnecessary delay.
(b) He would see that the insanitary conditions which may be
discovered on the inspection of a house where infectious disease has
occurred should be remedied as soon as possible.
(c) He would see that all places, such as schools, &c., have the
regular inspection that they need.
(d) He would see that all letters are duly attended to and
answered, and arrange for the drawing of plans of drainage works carried
out when no plans are submitted by the builders. He would see that
all registers and diaries are properly kept.
(e) He would act as an additional Inspector where my presence
is not necessary.
(f) He would countersign all certificates relating to drainage
works, except when I judged that I should give these personally.
(g) He would receive instructions from me relating to any
matters I wished attended to and give out these instructions to the
Inspectors. In other matters not set out here he would act under my
guidance. In case of difficulty or doubt on any point the Inspectors as
heretofore are to consult me.
Under this scheme it will therefore still remain with me to
decide what house-to-house inspections are to be made, and ratepayers
and owners must look to me for appeal unless they should choose rather
to apply to the Committee for redress.
I recommend, therefore, that the following appointments be
made:—
1. A Superintendent or Chief Clerk.
2. Another Sanitary Inspector.
3. Three Clerks all able to write shorthand, and one of these
able to draw out plans.
I also recommend that the other recommendations with regard
xvi.