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General repairs and decoration of the premises were carried out during the year and cleaning
takes place daily. For this particular type of building the general hygiene and maintenance is
good. The bedding is changed weekly and mattresses are of foam rubber.
There is always a problem of insect infestation, namely phthirus pubis and pediculis humanus,
in this type of establishment and men suffering from the effects of these insects are sent, with
the appropriate instructions, to the City Corporation Cleansing Centre at Golden Lane. They are
not allowed to take up residence until they produce an authenticated document from Mr.Lawrence
our Mortuary Superintendent.
Dr. Lascelles, the General Practitioner for the area, has kindly arranged to hold weekly
surgeries within the hostel and this arrangement has considerably alleviated the problem of sickness.
During the year a man suffering from a highly infectious form of tuberculosis was found to be
residing at the hostel, and his removal, detention and maintenance at Banstead Hospital, Sutton,
Surrey, was necessitated. Between the time that information reached this Department about this
man and the hearing of his case at the Mayor's and City of London Court he was housed in a
cubicle within the hostel and subsequent disinfection was carried out daily by the Corporation's
cleansing staff. This arrangement was due to the Deputy Keeper's kind co-operation and every
effort was made to isolate the man and his possessions within the hostel. Major Jones was later
called to give evidence at the Court when the Order was made for the man's removal.
EXHUMATION OF HUMAN REMAINS IN DISUSED CHURCHYARDS
During the year three disused churchyards were cleared and the human remains found therein
properly reinterred.
Two of these were ancient churches, St. Pancras, Pancras Lane and St. Nicholas Aeons,
Nicholas Lane, which were destroyed in the Great Fire of London 1666 and were not rebuilt.
These exhumations were carried out in accordance with the requirements of the St. Pancras,
Pancras Lane Churchyard Act, 1961, and the St. Nicholas Aeons, Churchyard Act, 1963. Details
of interments can be found in the Parish records and are between 1538 and 1849.
A total of 343 cases of human remains were properly reinterred at Brookwood Cemetery near
Woking, Surrey and 28 early morning visits were made by the Public Health Inspectors concerned
in addition to numerous routine daily visits.
Three individual notifications of human remains on building sites etc. were sent to the Coroner
who was satisfied that these bones were of ancient origin. These were later reinterred on site.
OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963.
The Establishment for Public Health Inspectors was increased by three to meet the requirements
of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act.
Overcrowding.
Section 5 of the Act provides that no room, to which the Act applies must be overcrowded as
to cause risk of injury to the health of any of the persons working therein.
In determining whether or not any suchroom is so overcrowded consideration must be given, not
only to the number of persons working in the room, but also to the space taken up by the furniture,
furnishing, machinery, plant equipment, appliances, etc.
The number of persons habitually employed to work in the rooms at the same time must not
be such that when the total floor area of the room is divided by the number of persons a figure of
less than 40 sq.ft. per person is obtained. This gives a superficial floor area standard.
A cubic capacity standard is obtained by dividing the total cubic capacity of the room by the
number of persons employed in the room. If a figure of less than 400 cu.ft. is obtained the room is
considered to be overcrowded.
Where the ceiling height is below the optimum 10ft. the floor space for each person working
is increased above the 40sq. ft. standard.
The final paragraph of this Section provides that any room used at the passing of the Act on
31st July, 1963, as part of a premises covered by the Act, will not be subject to the space standards
until three years after the Section has come into operation, i.e. 1st August, 1967.Thisrespite
will enable employers to resolve their overcrowding problems before their premises are
visited by the appropriate Inspector.
Lighting
The employer is required to make effective provision in every part of the premises in which
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