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78
nection therewith that such "Special Requirements " are entirely
structural alterations, and have reference to necessary improvements
dealing with (1) Ventilation, (2) Areas, (3) Means of
Access to Bakehouse, and (4) Exclusion from the Bakehouse of
foul air, dust, and dirt.
There is naturally much work and responsibility involved for
your Medical Officer as your adviser, but from what I have seen
in going round the Bakehouses, there ought to be little or no insurmountable
opposition from the Trade, if only your Medical
Officer receives, from the Committee and the Council, in respect
of this matter of Underground Bakehouses, the same confidence
and support which have been so readily given in all other
matters.
The Council will have to certify in each case, but such certificate,
in my opinion, should only be given by the Council after
receiving a report from the Medical Officer of Heaith that such
Underground Bakehouse is suitable as regards construction,
light, ventilation, and in all other respects. Should a case arise
in which the occupier (owner) refuses to carry out any of the Requirements
(General or Special), suggested by your Medical Offi0
cer, or should it be necessary or advisable, on account of exceptional
circumstances, to waive one or more of such requirements,
wholly or in part, the matter might be discussed specially
by the Public Health Committee, as a sort of Appeal Court, such
Committee.s decision to be final.
It may be mentioned that, with but few exceptions, and after
certain alterations and improvements have been carried out to
the satisfaction of the Council or of the Medical Officer, I shall
be prepared to advise the Council to give certificates in respect
of all the 90 Lambeth Underground Bakehouses. This condition
of affairs should satisfy the Trade, who appear to think that
all Underground Bakehouses are to be unconditionally closed
after January 1st, 1904, whereas, in Lambeth at least, such
Bakehouses, with few exceptions, will be allowed to remain, conditionally
to certain requirements (set out as Suggested Requirements
at the end of this Report) being satisfactorily fulfilled.
In no single instance can a certificate be given at once, i.e.,
not until certain alterations have been previously carried out, but
on the other hand, as already stated, with but few exceptions, all
the Lambeth Underground Bakehouses can, in my opinion, be
certified after certain specified requirements have been fulfilled.
In conclusion, I am satisfied, after carefully considering the
subject and after personally inspecting all the Underground Bake.