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

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City of London 1905

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]

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Gold blocking Mantles Shirts Ties
Gold polishing Millinery Shoes (babies') Trimmings
Hair nets Motor veils, &c. Shoe-bows Umbrellas
Hat making Muslin caps Silk hemming Umbrella tassels
Hat-bands Pattern cards Skirts Underclothing
Household linen Perfumery Stay busks Upholstery
Lace Pickles String bags Wadding
Lampshapes Pleating Tailors (outWaistcoats
Laundries Robes workers) Waterproof goods
Lining
As in previous years, by far the largest number of defects found was in
respect of sanitary accommodation; want of cleansing, and insufficient ventilation
of workrooms being next in order. Vitiation of the air of the workshop
by gas whether used for heating or for lighting continues to be a source
of difficulty. Where gas stoves are used a hood and flue are required in order
to carry off the injurious products of combustion, and where the gas is used
for lighting purposes, the substitution of incandescent for ordinary burners
effects a considerable reduction in the vitiation of the air.
OUTWORKERS' PREMISES.
In the majority of cases the outworkers on the register employ workers
other than members of their own families, and their premises are therefore
included under the heading "Workshops." There are, besides, twenty-one
domestic workshops which have been inspected; with two exceptions, these
latter were found to be in a fairly satisfactory condition as regards cleanliness
of rooms, &c. Some drainage and structural defects were discovered and
were referred to the District Inspector.
In the case of one outworker, an alien, who employed three men
and two women, the workrooms were found to be in such an extremely
dirty condition that the outworkers' employer (a tailor living outside
the City) was informed that the place in which the work was being done
was in such a condition that no more work should be sent to him
until the premises had been cleansed, failing which the matter would
be dealt with under Section 108, Factory and Workshop Act, 1901. The
employer wrote in reply thanking your Medical Officer for the notification, and
stating that no more work would be given to the outworker.
In addition to the dirty condition of the workrooms, one was found to be
overcrowded, the roof was defective, an accumulation of refuse on an out-house
roof gave off very offensive effluvia, which came into the house through the
staircase window, the stairs were dirty, the W.C. in the yard was in a filthy
condition and was used in common by the persons of both sexes employed.
Notices were served on the owner and on the occupier, calling upon them to
abate the nuisances and remedy the defects complained of.