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
Holborn 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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The 418 factories include 53 different industries. In 208 cases men only were
employed, in 7 women only, and in 203 both sexes.
The more important industries carried on in these factories are:
Bookbinding 17
Engineering 43
Jewellers' work 10
Metal work 9
Printing 82
Among the industries, recorded in our registers, which might be regarded as
uncommon for a central London area, may be mentioned brass founders,
aluminium founders, gold beaters, plaster statuette making, cloth shrinking,
artificial limb-making, printers' type founders and X-ray apparatus makers.
The following is a summary in tabular form of the work done by the Inspectors in factories, workshops and workplaces in the year 1927:—
| Mr. Bennett. | Mr. Clark. | Mr. Larard. | Miss Charlesworth. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factories— Inspections | 89 | 132 | 299 | 5 | 525 | |
| Re-inspections | 7 | 45 | 33 | - | 85 | |
| Workshops— Inspections | 203 | 213 | 237 | 82 | 735 | |
| Re-inspections | 3 | 62 | 52 | 1 | 118 | |
| Workplaces— Inspections | 140 | 190 | 33 | 2 | 365 | |
| Re-inspections | 4 | 58 | 6 | - | 68 | |
| Offices— Inspections | 86 | 34 | 16 | - | 136 | |
| Re-inspections | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | |
| Bakehouses— Inspections | 11 | 28 | 14 | - | 53 | |
| Re-inspections | — | — | — | — | ||
| Restaurants— Inspections | 70 | l53 | 209 | - | 432 | |
| Re-inspections | 8 | 43 | 20 | — | 71 | |
| Licensed Premises— Inspections | - | 5 | - | - | 5 | |
| Re-inspections | — | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| Defects Found— Want of cleanliness | 2 | 33 | 11 | 1 | 47 | |
| „ ventilation | 1 | 6 | 1 | - | 8 | |
| Overcrowding | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
| Want of drainage of floors | — | — | — | — | — | |
| ,, lavatory accommodation | — | - | - | — | — | |
| Food improperly stored | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | |
| Storage cistern defective | 2 | 7 | — | — | ||
| Accommodation for refuse | - | 5 | — | — | 5 | |
| Accumulation of refuse | - | 4 | - | 5 | ||
| Sanitary accommodation | Insufficient | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 |
| Unsuitable | 2 | 23 | 13 | — | 38 | |
| Defective | 5 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 26 | |
| Not separate for sexes | — | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | |
| Stopped | - | 6 | 1 | — | ||
| Foul | — | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | |
| Direct communication with workroom | - | - | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Other nuisances | 4 | 29 | 9 | 6 | 52 | |
| Total defects | 20 | 132 | 9 | 215 | ||