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

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Finsbury 1902

Report on the public health of 1902

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222
SANITARY INSPECTION.
At the time of the amalgamation, the Vestry of Clerkenwell
had three Sanitary Inspectors, St. Luke had three, and one
came over from the Parish of St. Sepulchre (Meat Inspector).
Two of these inspectors shortly obtained other positions, and the
Borough Council appointed two in their place, and have recently
added two others. The Staff therefore consists of a Chief
Inspector, a Special Meat Inspector, and seven ordinary
Inspectors, one of whom devotes his time to workshops, and
another includes in his work the inspection of the canal.
As previously explained, the Borough is divided into six
sanitary districts, the inspectors in charge of each district undertaking
all the sanitary duties for his district. These duties
include the inspection of dwelling-houses, milk-shops, bakehouses,
etc.; the investigation of every case of infectious disease;
the supervision of sanitary works and drainage; the enquiries
respecting complaints made to the Department, and smoke and
general nuisances. Reports are furnished to me by the inspectors
from time to time having reference to the above matters, all the
more important cases being specially reported upon in writing.
The construction of the drainage of new buildings is supervised
by the Borough Surveyor (Mr. P. Gr. Killick). The Department
also has the advantage of the advice and co-operation of the
Borough Surveyor in all matters affecting drainage.
Refuse collection and destruction, cleansing of streets, and
regular emptying of dustbins and dust-boxes is undertaken by
the Wharf and Cleansing Department (Mr. A. May, Superintendent).
Rapid and effectual removal of refuse and dust
and the satisfactory cleansing of streets, particularly in the
months of July and August, is of the greatest importance. The
relationship between bad scavenging and disease is an intimate
one, and there can be no doubt that a well scavenged town, other
things being equal, will be characterised by a lower infantile death
rate and a lower zymotic death-rate than that which will occur in
a dusty and badly scavenged town.