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

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Mile End 1898

Annual report upon the public health and sanitary condition of the District for the year 1898

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22
to order the cleansing and purifying of the workshops. In
only one case was it found necessary to take proceedings with
regard to the cleansing of a workshop, the occupier being fined
£2 10s. for his default., I am glad to say the overcrowding
of workshops has been found to be much less than in previous
years. The occupier of one workshop was summoned for
this offence and fined. The complaints received from the Factory
Inspectors were very few and were promptly dealt with.
The "drain versus sewer" question has been constantly
cropping up, and the fact that so much work has been carried
out with so little cost to the Vestry is principally due to the
tact and discretion exercised by your inspectors.
Houses Let in Lodgings
The number of houses under these regulations is now 313.
Sixty-six additional ones have been placed under them during
1898. These houses are all let to two or more families and are
of a class that require considerable supervision. These houses
are required to be cleansed and whitewashed at least once every
twelve months, and the amount of cubic space required for
each adult is specified. The person who takes the rent from
each tenant is responsible for the maintenance of these regulations.
In some cases we have found that the landlords seek
to shirk their responsibility by letting the house to one of
the tenants, who collects the rent from the others and thus
becomes the person responsible under these regulations. In
spite of this we have succeeded in having much necessary work
carried out, such as cleansing. and proper system of drainage,
etc. These houses generally are in a much better condition
than formerly.