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

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Kensington 1914

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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Table: Condition of Homes Visited.—The following Table shows the circumstances of the 216 homes where work is carried on:—

Condition of Homes Visited.—The following Table shows the circumstances of the 216 homes where work is carried on:—

Nature of Room used for Work.Condition of Rooms.Total Number of Rooms.
Clean.Fairly Clean.Dirty.
Rooms used for work only3417162
„ for work and as living rooms11115-126
„ for work and as bed and living rooms298138
Totals174402216

Table: The sanitary defects remedied in the 216 homes were as follows:—

The sanitary defects remedied in the 216 homes were as follows:—

Rooms cleansed2
W.C.'s found defective and remedied1
Number of Defects remedied3

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On the whole the homeworkers, many of whom are women, belong to a respectable, thrifty
class and keep their rooms in a clean and tidy state. Their homes compare favourably with those
of the lower labouring classes, and instances of persons in great poverty carrying on work for an
insufficient wage in insanitary surroundings are in Kensington practically unknown. The foreign
outworkers are for the most employed in registered workshops which are regularly inspected, and
the practice of letting out sittings in workshops, which leads to grave abuses in certain districts,
does not prevail in the Borough of Kensington. After the outbreak of War in August, 1914, a
certain number of foreign tailors disappeared, while other outworkers were abnormally busy with
Army work. No case of infectious disease occurred in any workshop or home where Army work
was carried on.
Infectious Diseases.—Infectious disease occurred in 24 premises where home work was carried
on. In no instance was it found necessary to make an Order under Section 109 to stop the work,
nor to prosecute under Sections 109-110 as the infected persons were immediately removed to
hospital, and disinfection carried out.

Table: The appended Table summarises the work of the year, so far as it is capable of being expressed in this form:—

The appended Table summarises the work of the year, so far as it is capable of being expressed in this form:—

Premises Visited.Number of Visits and Inspection.
No. 1 District.No. 2 District.The Borough.
Factories171330
Workshops296582878
Outworkers' Premises15559214
Other Workplaces6655121
Total Inspections5347091,248
Intimation Notices issued288967
Statutory Notices served151227
Summons issued.........