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6
The death-rate from phthisis (consumption) diminished from 2.94 to 2.75, although the
London rate increased from 1.55 in 1903 to 1.6 in 1904.
The number of notifications of infectious diseases (excluding the voluntary notification of
consumption) was only 276, the lowest recorded for this Borough. The preceding year, when the
number of notifications was 348, was the next lowest.
The following are the principal changes that have taken place in tie administration and work
of the Public Health Department during the year.
The appointment of Miss F. N. F. Lovibond as Lady Sanitary Inspector (who began her duties
on December 28th, 1903) has led to greater attention being given to factories, workshops, and
workplaces where females are employed; also to increased work in connection with the prevention of
consumption, measles, and infantile diarrhoea.
The voluntary notification of consumption was begun on the 1st January, 1904, and during
the year 344 voluntary notifications were received. Further details are given in my report on
Phthisis.
With a view to diminishing preventable infantile mortality in the Borough, a leaflet on "The
Care and Feeding of Infants" was prepared, and great assistance was received from the Clergy of
all denominations and various Philanthropic Agencies, through whom about 3,000 copies were
distributed.
The Registrar-General gave permission at the latter part of the year for details of births to be
supplied by the Sub-Registrars. These details were at once supplied to us from the beginning of
December, so that houses of the working classes where births have taken place are now visited by the
Lady Sanitary Inspector, and one of the above leaflets left if thought desirable.
After carrying out works required by the Council, which in the majority of cases involved
much structural alterations of the twenty-seven underground bakehouses now in occupation, certificates
as required by the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, were granted by the Council. Only seven were
completed by the end of the year 1903, as required by the Act; the remaining twenty certificates
were granted during the year 1904. For five of the underground bakehouses the certificate was
refused. In three cases the premises have since been demolished, and in the other two they are no
longer used as underground bakehouses.
The principal Public Health legislation during the year was included in the London Countv
Council (General Powers) Act, 1904, which gives powers for the cleansing, purification or destruction
of filthy, dangerous or unwholesome articles; for the cleansing of houses infested with vermin; for
the removal or alteration of sanitary conveniences which are so placed or constructed as to be a
nuisance or offensive to public decency; and for fixed ashpits to be removed where movable ashpits
are provided. It also gave power to the County Council to cause any cow suffering from tuberculosis
of the udder to be slaughtered, after the payment of compensation.