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described, in his annual report, by Dr. McCleary, who states that from a health point of view the
laundries are the most unsatisfactory of the Battersea workshops. He writes— "The atmosphere
in the washing-room is hot and laden with impurities, the floor is constantly wet, and in the
hand laundries the workers spend their day bending over a hot steaming wash-tub; the temperature
in the ironing-rooms is often exceedingly high, and the drying-rooms, where the wet clothes
are often thrown over lines stretched across the room over the workers' heads, are hot and damp."
He states, moreover, that "the laundress lacks the protection against excessive hours of labour
which the Factory Act affords other women workers. Not only may she work 60 hours a week,,
exclusive of overtime, but as the period of legal employment may vary from day to day, and
may even vary for each individual worker, the working of illegal overtime is hard to detect,
and there is every reason to believe it is extremely common." He urges the need
for further legislation, which should include— (1). The standard of cubic space per
worker to be not less than 500 cubic feet. (2). Prohibition of underground workrooms
and of the practice of hanging articles to dry over the heads of the workers. (3). Application
to workshop laundries of the present provisions relating to factories for (a) providing fans or
other means for regulating the temperature in the ironing-room and carrying away steam from
the wash-house; and (6) separating heating stoves from the ironing.room and prohibiting the
use of gas-irons emitting noxious fumes. (4). Application of the Factory Act to institution
laundries and small exempted laundries. (5). Provision to be made for the disinfection, by boiling
or otherwise, of all articles immediately on arrival at the laundry. (6). Alteration of the
legal periods of employment so as to bring them into line with those obtaining in factories and
workshops.
So far as the existing law is concerned it is evident that much is being done to ameliorate
the conditions under which work in laundries is done, especially with respect to the drainage
of floors. Dr. Reginald Dudfield states that in Paddington a fair standard of cleanliness is maintained;
drying grounds, the majority of which were previously unpaved and undrained, are
gradually being put into proper condition, and the drainage of the floors of washing.houses
is being improved; the provision of hoods over the coppers he has found to effect a great
improvement, and in three cases a remedy was found for excessive temperature by the Home
Office inspector. Again, Dr. Harris reports that laundries in Islington are much improved in
condition, although, he adds, thev never can be rendered absolutely healthy because of the heat,
steam, and nature of work. Writing of small laundries, Dr. Caldwell Smith states that in
Wandsworth these have increased from 116 to 366. He states these are workplaces, and the need
for their inspection is shown by the fact that 274 were found to be in dirty condition, and one
to be insufficiently ventilated. For these conditions 34 notices under the Public Health Act were
served for the abatement of nuisances, with the result that the conditions were remedied.
Furriers' shops.
The conditions under which furriers conduct their business in the City has been made the
subject of inquiry during 1903. The presence of dust and clippings of fur, constitute, Dr. Colling.
ridge writes, a special danger which may seriously affect the health of the workers. In the course
of the year 57 such workshops were inspected and attention directed to the provision of adequate
ventilation, the constant removal of refuse and the prevention of dust accumulation by covering
the floors with smooth, impervious material. Dr. Collingridge states that hitherto little attention
had been paid to these points, and many of these workshops were found to be dirty and sanitarily
defective in other respects. The greater part of these defects were remedied by the end of the year.
Places where food is prepared for sale.
Many of the annual reports show that systematic inspection has been undertaken of places
where food is prepared for sale. In more than one it is stated that premises on which working.men
obtain their food are maintained in better condition, especially as to cleanliness, than are those
where food is supplied to persons better circumstanced in life. The conditions frequently found
and remedied were chiefly those of want of cleanliness and the accumulation of matter arising from
the preparation of food. In some instances, as in the City and Southwark, water.closets were found
to be approached from the kitchen or cooking.room. In Finsbury "some of the kitchens and
cellars were in a disgraceful condition, and food prepared in them could not but be open to grave
criticism." In Battersea a horse was found to be stabled in a cellar in which meat was chopped
for sausages. In the City the kitchen was found, in 135 of 343 visited, to be situated in the
basement. Referring to underground kitchens Dr. Collingridge claims that they should be dealt
with on the same lines as underground bakehouses. He writes, "Without mechanical means, it
is almost impossible to properly ventilate a kitchen placed in a basement. In many cases the
ventilation has to be partially obtained by means of open gratings on the footway pavement, indeed,
in some instances, nothing else can be had. As a consequence, mud, filth, and dust find direct
access to the kitchens— indeed, it is a common thing to observe marks of expectoration through
these gratings, one occupier even being obliged to exhibit a brass notice requesting the passer.by
not to spit down one of the openings. Others attach movable trays beneath, but this only partly
obviates the evil." He adds that much difficulty occurs in endeavours to provide separate sanitary
conveniences for the two sexes where basement and ground.floors are used as a eating.house, in
which both sexes are employed, and where the upper part is let as offices. On the recommendation
of Dr. Collingridge, the City Corporation has decided to grant certificates to the occupiers of
restaurants and above.ground bakehouses whose premises comply with a certain standard of
sanitary requirement.
The improvements effected by the several sanitary authorities are shown by the annual
reports to include the insistence upon a higher standard of cleanliness, better condition of floors.
better water-closet accommodation and drainage, the provision of hoods over gas stoves, and