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180
The reasons why the percentage closed is comparatively small
were discussed in my report for 1903 (pp. 193-194). Each
Inspector has visited the bakehouses in his district, and the Chief
Inspector, the Workshop Inspector, and myself have also paid many
visits to underground bakehouses. On the whole, I am glad to
report a marked improvement in the cleanliness and appointments
of the bakehouses in Finsbury during the last two or three years.
III. Home Work.
This has reference to persons employed by firms carrying on
various simple trade processes at home. They are out-workers
doing work for firms belonging to Finsbury or other Boroughs,
but all of them employed and resident in Finsbury. The work of
the Department in relation to home work and out-workers during
1904 has been carried out by the Lady Sanitary Inspector
(appointed April, 1904).
As stated in last year's Report, it was impossible, with the then
existing staff, to keep pace with this branch of the work, and the
work having fallen into arrears accounts for the large number of
home-workers who have been placed under the heading "Removed."
As they will now be visited shortly after the lists are received, a
larger number will probably be found at work.
It is extremely difficult to estimate the number of home-workers
in Finsbury as they are continually moving about, and there are
many of whom we have not yet received notification, or who are not
home-workers under the Act.
Of the 185 homes visited, it was found that in 157 places one
person was working, in 24 places two persons were working, and
in 4 places three persons were working. In all these cases
the persons were either related to each other, or were friends
working in the same room but for different firms.
In one instance a case of scarlet fever occurred in the home of
an out-worker, and in several instances cases of measles have been
found. Disinfection of the work and home have been carried out
in all such cases.