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53
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1896.
The recommendations of the Committee were briefly these:—
1.—That the M. O. H. be requested to prepare detailed instructions for the guidance
of the disinfecting officers, as to the steps which should be taken for the
sealing of doors, windows, fireplaces, &c.; for the removal of beds, bedding,
curtains, &c.; and the wearing and disinfection of overalls. That the work of
disinfection should be under the general supervision of the M. O. H., and the
more detailed supervision of the sanitary inspectors; and that suitable
appliances should be provided to ensure efficient sulphuration.
2.—That the M. O. H. should be requested to carry out the requirements of the
L.G.B. as regards visiting and reporting on outbreaks of infectious diseases,
and endeavouring to arrest the spread of such diseases—as contained in the
Sanitary Officers' (London) Order, 1891, Art. 18., Sec. 6 and Sec. 14. That he
be required to carry out, as regards attendance at the office, the duties specified
in par. 1 of the list, of duties which he signed at the time of bis appointment.
[Par. 1 reads as follows:— "He shall attend at the Vestry Hall every weekday,
from 10 until 11 o'clock a.m., and from 3 to 4 o'clock p.m., or at such
other time as the Vestry may direct."]
3.—That a suitable register be provided of forms of certificate, with counterfoil, to
be given to the employers as to the freedom from infection of their employees.
4.—That the sanitary inspectors be required to carry out the provisions of the
Order, Art 19., Sec. 9, which requires that "he shall enter from day to day,
in a book to be provided by the Sanitary Authority, particulars of his inspection,
and of the action taken by him in the execution of his duties. He shall also
keep a book or books, to be provided by the Sanitary Authority, so arranged as
to form, as far as possible, a continuous record of the sanitary condition of each
of the premises in respect of which any action has been taken under the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891; or under any other statute or statutes; and shall
keep any other systematic records that the Sanitary Authority may require."
5.—That the Vestry approach the Metropolitan Asylums Board with a request to
consider whether any system could be arranged whereby the Vestry could be
informed, without delay, of the removal of patients.
The report also called attention to the fact that the doctor did not keep a book
according to Art. 18, Sec. 14, of the General Order.
In a report dated December 15th, 1896, Dr. Waldo replied to tha Health Committee's
statement. The report was divided into two sections:—first, Criticism of
present disinfecting methods; second, Suggested remedies. He states, "one of the
chief points is that I do not keep sufficient books regarding infectious cases "; and
after setting forth the various books which are kept, he continues—" I quite recognise
that in certain respects the keeping of more books would be an advantage, so far as it
can be done without taking up time which might be more usefully spent in visiting
and other duties of my office. At the same time, I may say, that lately I have been
deprived of the services of the one clerk who formerly did much of the clerical work
required in the Sanitary Department. Moreover, I have often found the possession of
books most undesirable when given evidence in Court, as they may be demanded by
the opposing council. For this reason I have, to some extent, trusted to the notes of
visits taken by my sanitary inspectors, which should invariably mention the fact when
I have been present. "
On this your Committee have two observations to make.
1.—The Public Health (London) Act, 1891, Sanitary Officers' (London) Order, 1891,
Art. 18, Sec. 14, requires "that the M.O.H. shall keep a book or books to be
provided by the Sanitary Authority, in which he shall make an entry of his