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During the year 16 inspections were made which included early morning and late night visits.
The premises are kept in a good state of repair, maintenance and decoration being carried
out continuously. Bedding is changed weekly or after every user, whichever is the sooner.
Insect infestations are dealt with in collaboration with the Superintendent of the City Mortuary
and Disinfecting Station. Infested persons are bathed and their clothes disinfected at the
Milton Court Cleansing Station.
The registration of the Keeper and Deputy Keeper is carried out every 13 months and is renewed
subject to satisfactory conditions prevailing at the common lodging house at the end of
that period.
EXHUMATION OF HUMAN REMAINS IN DISUSED CHURCHYARDS
During 1965 in connection with road widening and extensions in lloundsditch six boxes of
identifiable human remains and 220 boxes of unidentifiable remains were removed from St. Botolph's
Church, Aldgate to the City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, involving thirteen early
morning visits by the Public Health Inspector concerned.
At St. Giles Church, Cripplegate, in connection with the Barbican Development, 1,537 boxes
of human remains were removed by the London Necropolis Co. Ltd., and reinterred at Brookwood
Cemetery necessitating 95 early morning visits by the Public Health Inspectors concerned.
In accordance with Re-organisation Area Measure, 1944, St. Augustine, Watling Street site
was appropriated for use as part of, or in connection with, the Choir School of St. Paul's Cathedral
in accordance with a Scheme gazetted on 2nd February, 1954. The removal of 132 boxes of
human remains was supervised by a Public Health Inspector and reinterred in Brookwood Cemetery,
Woking, Surrey in accordance with the requirements of Section 2(2) of the First Schedule to
the 1944 Measure. Further exhumations were deferred until 1966 in accordance with phasing of
building operations in connection with the Choir School.
OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT 1936
A large part of the inspectors' time has been taken up by advice to architects and others on
the requirements of the Act in connection with proposed offices and shops and improvements to
those existing. This service, though not obligatory under the Act, is considered most valuable as
this is the opportune time to influence occupiers as to the spirit of the Act and thereby attain
better conditions.
In the advice given to occupiers stress is laid upon providing sufficient lighting; not only
sufficient for the task but sufficient to accomplish the task with efficiency and without eye
strain. The standard recommended is based on the legal and recommended standards of lighting
in various countries and on the better office lighting in the City of London, and is higher than
that recommended by the British Illuminating Engineering Society (30 lumens/sq. ft.). (The British
Lighting Council infer that a possible statutory standard would be 15 lumens/sq. ft.).
Where statutory minimum standards are laid down, these tend to become maximum standards
and it is believed that better office lighting will be achieved if no such standard is set.
No advice is given about ventilation providing each room has a window opening to the external
air, but where mechanical ventilation is required advice is based on a standard of 1000 cu.ft.
fresh or artificially purified air/hour/person and it is recommended that heating elements are
incorporated in the system. But it was generally found in shops that ventilation was poor.
Further advice is given on the general provisions of the Act and OSRI forms are issued for
the notification of employment of persons.
Where the size of offices warrant the presence of persons suitably qualified in first aid,
occupiers are advised that the British Red Cross Society conduct classes at Finsbury Barracks,
City Road, E.C.I.
Of the points raised on general inspections the following are, perhaps, worth mentioning: —
1. Drinking water taps are generally provided in toilet accommodation. This is not the most
suitable position on the grounds of both hygiene and aesthetics but attempts to achieve
better siting of such points are as yet disappointing.
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