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London County Council.
THE SANITARY ADMINISTRATION OF HAMMERSMITH.
Report by the Medical Officer presenting report by Dr. Young on the sanitary
administration of Hammersmith.
(Ordered by the Public Health Committee to be printed, 24th April, 1902.)
Public Health Department,
8, St. Martin's-place, W.C.
27th June, 1902.
I present Dr. Young's report on the sanitary administration of Hammersmith. It will
be recollected that the sufficiency of the staff of sanitary inspectors in that district was, as the
result of a report by the Medical Officer of Health of Hammersmith, under the consideration of
the Public Health Committee of the London County Council towards the close of the period when
the administration of Hammersmith was vested in the former vestry.
In May, 1900, in reply to a communication addressed to the vestry, the County Council
was informed by that body that the matter had been considered by a committee of the vestry,
and that it had been decided to take no action at the time in view of the impending change
in the Authority, consequent upon the passing of the London Government Act of 1899.
In 1901 the Borough Council increased the staff by the appointment of an additional
inspector; later, the medical officer of health recommended the appointment of another inspector.
This was not agreed to, and the report of the Committee dealing with the subject, making
recommendations as to the division of the district into six sub-districts, was referred back for
further consideration.
In January of the present year the County Council, as the result of information obtained
concerning the extent of regulation of houses let in lodgings in the several metropolitan boroughs,
wrote to the Borough Council asking that facilities might be given to Dr. Young to inquire on
their behalf into the sufficiency of the staff. When Dr. Young began his inquiry he found that
the appointment of an additional inspector had been decided on, and this officer took up his
duties while Dr. Young was thus engaged. Hence, since the attention of the County Council was
directed to the subject two additional inspectors have been appointed. There had, however,
in the meantime been transferred to the Borough Council the administration of regulations
as to milk premises and offensive trades previously vested in the County Council. Dr. Young
as the result of his inquiry, thinks there would be advantage in giving effect to the recommendation
of the Public Health Committee of the Borough Council as to the division of Hammersmith
into six sub-districts, and allotting an inspector to each. He also thinks that the work
in connection with the regulation of houses let in lodgings should, at any rate for some time,
be undertaken by two other inspectors acting for the whole borough. There is already a special
inspector for workshops and outworkers, and I)r. Young thinks this service should be supplemented
by the appointment of a female inspector. If these proposals be carried out, the only
additional appointment would be the female inspector, but Dr. Young recommends that the
service of an officer now employed largely in superintending the removal of house refuse should
be wholly devoted to the work which more usually devolves on a sanitary inspector, and this
would still further increase the staff available for this purpose. These recommendations appear
to me to be deserving of adoption.
Shibley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
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