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23
CLERICAL WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.
Mr. H. E. Curtis and Mr. W. J. Howe continue to perform
the clerical work of the department in a most efficient and
creditable manner. Hodges, junior, has also ass1sted in this
and various other ways. The work tends to increase year by
year because fresh Acts of Parliament impose fresh duties,
besides which a large amount of work is entailed in answering
communications from other local authorities. Long and
elaborate l1sts of questions on almost every conceivable
sanitary subject pour in weekly from not only the Metropolitan
local bodies but also from provincial towns, some of them quite
remote. So far as possible these questions are answered,
but to collate the information consumes much time. Only a
portion of the clerical work admits of tabulation. The
following statement may, however, give some idea of what has
been done during 1903:—
REG1stER OF CLERICAL WORK.
1903
Number of Notifications of Infectious Disease,
entered in Reg1ster, copied and sent to the
Metropolitan Asylums Board and Schools,
receipt acknowledged and filed 981
Number of complaints of Nuisances received,
entered in Nuisance Reg1ster and filed 755
Number of Letters despatched from the Department
2,007
Number of Council Orders issued 178
Number of Meetings of Public Health Committee
prepared for, attended, and Minutes
drafted 23
Number of Meetings of Public Health SubCommittee
prepared for, attended, and
Minutes drafted and written 58
Bakehouses, Certificates granted and
despatched 77
Plans Reg1stered and approved by Public
Health Committee 333
THE SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.
As usual a large number of samples have been analysed
under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts. It is however,
surprising how few have been found to be adulterated. The
recent legislation with regard to the standardisation of milk
and butter has acted beneficially. It is true that with regard
to most articles for which a legal limit of quality is provided,