View report page

31
There are also many other matters of great public health importance which I should advise,
and which I should like to see undertaken by this Council in the carrying out of which the services of
a female inspector would be specially appropriate. As you are aware the death-rate from consumption
is very high in this Borough, in fact, last year the death-rate from this disease was in this Borough,
the highest of the Metropolitan Boroughs. In a special report on the subject presented to the Public
Health Committee, on the 4th May last, I advised that this Council should undertake further duties
for the prevention of this disease ; but as the time of the Public Health Committee has been very
much occupied with many other urgent matters, and especially with the consideration of underground
bakehouses, it has not yet been practicable for the Committee to consider this report.
I should also like to see much more work done in connection with the prevention of measles,
whooping cough, infantile diarrhoea, and the proper feeding of children.
The following duties could very appropriately be undertaken by a female inspector ; inspection
of outworkers' homes, domestic workshops, and workshops where females are employed, laundries, day
schools, and restaurants ; also in assisting in the inspection of tenement houses, for which the services of
the fifth inspector, have in the past been very useful. Also work in connection with the prevention
of consumption, measles, whooping cough and infantile diarrhœa. I think it is also desirable that the
female inspector should be appointed an inspector under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, in order that
samples of food and drugs could sometimes be taken by her. She might also sometimes be usefully
employed in the inspection of milkshops.
From a report of the Medical Officer of Health of the London County Council giving particulars
as to the sanitary inspectors employed in various districts of London, dated March, 1903, the following
fifteen of the Metropolitan cities and boroughs had already appointed female inspectors: —Battersea,
Camberwell, Chelsea, Hackney, Hampstead, Islington, Kensington, Lambeth, Paddington, Poplar,
St. Marylebone, St. Pancras, Southwark, Wandsworth and the City of London. Of these, Kensington
and Paddington have appointed two, Southwark four, and the remainder one each.
Although a large demolition of property has taken or is about to take place in the Borough,
and has fortunately cleared away some of the most insanitary property in the Borough, many of
the new buildings will increase the number of workshops, and the number of outworkers. Also all
new premises will have to be inspected to see that they have a proper and sufficient water supply, and
suitable and sufficient watercloset accommodation. Although there has been much demolition, there
has also been much reconstruction. Six blocks of the Bourne Estate on the Reid's Brewery site are
already completed and occupied, and the houses for the working classes on the Herbrand Street site
are nearing completion. "When all have been completed and occupied, there will be an increased
population of 3,294, and will mean increased work, especial])' for the female inspector, respecting the
non-notifiable infectious diseases and outworkers. Moreover, it is in such dwellings that a more
immediate and greater success might be expected to attend our efforts for the prevention of disease.

*Female Lnspector since appointed.