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

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London County Council 1901

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Assistants.— Disinfecting staff. Nine in number.
An engineer and two assistants are engaged at the disinfecting station, whilst two are employed
in fetching from and returning to houses articles of bedding, &c., requiring disinfection. The
remaining four attend to the disinfecting, stripping of walls, and the cleansing of rooms.
There are two mortuary keepers, and a superintendent and his wife at the reception house.
There is also an assistant inspector to help in the testing of drains.
Clerical staff.—There are five clerks entirely engaged in duties arising out of the work of the
department.
Duties.—The first inspector on the above list supervises generally the work of the other
inspectors. The second inspector on the list is engaged in carrying out the Adulteration Acts, the
inspection of bakehouses, slaughterhouses, dairies and milkshops, and places at which noxious trades
are carried on.
The inspectors, Nos. 3 to 13, have each a district, and in it each carries out all the duties
arising under the Public Health Act, and the inspection of factories and workshops where males are
employed.
The inspectors supervise drainage work in old houses. In new premises the work is seen to by
officers from the surveyor's department.
Nos. 14, 15 and 16, are engaged in visiting houses let in lodgings, and factories and workshops
where females are employed.
The last two inspectors (Nos. 17 and 18) visit all infectious cases and report from time to time
for the information of the medical officer and the department generally.
Besides the two women inspectors engaged in infectious disease, there is a male assistant whose
duty it is to proceed to the house immediately on the receipt of a notification certificate in order to get
the patient removed to hospital as soon as possible.
The medical officer of health directs reports, and is responsible for the organisation and good
management of the department.
Scavenging of roads and dustbins.—These matters are under the direction of the surveyor.
Bermondsey—Population 1901, 130,486.
A medical officer of health (whole time appointment). £500—£600 per annum. Half repayable
by County Council.

sanitary inspectors—

1. H. T. £375 per annum.Half repayable by County Council.
2. H. J. T. £135 to £175 „,, ,, ,,
3. J. B. £150 to £175 ,, at present £150,, ,, ,,
4. Vacant £150 to £175 ,,,, ,, ,,
5. T. L. D £200 ,,,, ,, ,,
6. H. C. £175 ,,,, ,, ,,
7. T. A. £250 ,,,, ,, ,,

Assistants.—Four disinfecting assistants, one of whom also acts as caretaker of the mortuary.
(Neckinger): a mortuary keeper at St. Mary Church-street, who is also caretaker of the recreationground
in which the mortuary is situated; a mortuary keeper (St. Olave) who in addition does
scavenging work in the immediate neighbourhood of the mortuary; a caretaker (female) at shelter.
Clerical staff.—There are three clerks who devote their whole time to duties arising out of the
work of the public health department.
Duties.—The inspector who is first on the above list is chief sanitary inspector, and in this
capacity exercises a general supervision over the work of the other inspectors. He also performs duties
arising under the Food and Drugs Act in the whole parish, and takes part in house to house
inspection. He also inspects bakehouses, slaughterhouses, cowhouses, and common lodging-houses.
As regards the remaining inspectors, to each inspector a part of the district has been allotted, and in
this he is concerned with duties arising under the Public Health, Factory and Workshop and Food
and Drugs Acts. The inspectors supervise drainage work, either construction or reconstruction.
The disinfecting assistants are engaged as follows—two in conveying articles to and from
premises, and in placing them in the apparatus for disinfection, one in the disinfection of rooms, one
as engineer for the disinfecting apparatus and for removing articles from it after the process is
completed.
The sanitary inspectors are under the supervision of the medical officer of health and chief
sanitary inspector.
Scavenging of roads and dustbins.—The removal of house refuse is done by men employed by
the sanitary authority under the direction of a foreman. The pail system has been adopted. The
scavenging of roads is under the supervision of the surveyor.
Lambeth—Population 1901,301,873.
A medical officer of health (whole time appointment). £800 per annum. Half repayable by
County Council.