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

London County Council 1903

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

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Houses let in lodgings.Duties of sanitary inspectors.Assistants.Clerical staff.
No. of houses let in lodgings on the register.No of times a year these houses are inspected.
908Owing to decision of town clerk, that a change of landlords necessitated re-registration, nothing has been done beyond reregistering houses where such a change has occurred.One supervises work of other inspectors, visits premises with medical officer of health, investigates cases of infectious diseases and is responsible for work of disinfecting assistants.(a) 2 disinfecting assistants.3 and 1 clerk draughtsman.
(6) 2 drain-testing assistants, one of whom acts as mortuary keeper.
Four have each an allotted district, in which they are concerned with duties arising under the Public Health Act.
One carries out the inspection of slaughterhouses, dairies, factories and workshops, and takes all samples under the Food and Drugs Act.
One (female) is engaged in the inspection of premises where females are employed, and makes special investigations.
801Varies in accordance with the sanitary condition of the houses. Some weekly, others once or twice a year.Three have each an allotted district, in which they are concerned with duties arising under the Public Health, Factory and Workshop and Food and Drugs Acts.(a) 2 disinfecting assistants.3
(b) 1 mortuary keeper.
One (female) is engaged on special inspections under the directions of the medical officer, such as factories and workshops, restaurants where females are employed, the houses of outworkers, measles cases, etc.
670On an average four times a year.One supervises and visits premises when it is necessary to serve a statutory notice.(a) 5 disinfecting assistants.7 and 1 messenger, who assists in clerical work.
Fourteen have each an allotted district, in which they are concerned with duties arising under the Public Health Act (except as regards houses let in lodgings and workshops), and also inspect milkshops and dairies and visit ice-cream factories, and on Sundays in rotation take samples of milk under the Food and Drugs Act.(b) mortuary keeper.
(c) caretaker of shelter.
(d) engineer at disinfecting station.
One inspects workshops, workplaces and bakehouses.
One inspects houses let in lodgings.
One assists previous inspector and also takes samples of food and drugs.
One inspects meat, food, cowsheds and offensive trade premises.
One (female) inspects workshops and outworkers' homes where females are employed.
2,050 aboutNo fixed number of times. Frequency of inspection is governed by character of houses, locality and inhabitants.One is chief inspector without a district and exercises supervision.(a) assistant for disinfection.5
Ten have each an allotted district, in which they are concerned with all duties arising under the Public Health (London) Act. They also obtain samples under the Food and Drugs Act. Two act at one time for three months and then are exempt from this duty for 12 months. No inspector collects samples for analysis in his own district except samples of water.
(b) mortuary keeper.
(c) sanitary labourer for assisting in testing drains.
Two (female) are engaged mainly in the inspection of workshops, workplaces, laundries, etc., where females are employed.
372Several timesEleven have each an allotted district, in which they are concerned with all duties arising under the Public Health and Factory and Workshop Acts.(a) 11 disinfecting assistants.4
(b) 2 mortuary keepers and a deputy.
One inspector deals only with smoke nuisances, and carries out duties under the Food and Drugs Act, assisted by a deputy. The district inspectors supervise the execution of drainage works in both new and old houses.
(c) 1 temporary caretaker of shelter (female)
One (female) carries out duties under the Factory and Workshop Act, inspects underground conveniences, and performs duties of a general character. The Council is considering the advisability of appointing an extra female inspector.
16ConstantlyFive have each an assigned district in which they carry out general sanitary duties.(a) 6 disinfecting assistants.3
One is engaged on duties arising under the Factory and Workshop Act.(b)2 drain-testing assistants.
Three are engaged in house-to-house inspection.
One (female) visits laundries, workplaces, etc., where females are employed, and makes special investigations into cases of infantile diarrhoea, phthisis, etc.