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47
Four cases of scarlet fever, one of diphtheria, and two of erysipelas
occurred in connection with milk purveyors' premises, and the usual steps
were taken as to discontinuing the sale of milk until it was considered safe for
it to be resumed.
OFFENSIVE BUSINESSES.
The tripe-boiling establishment which comes under the above heading
was under inspection from time to time during the year, but there were no
complaints received in connection with it
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACT, 1901.
The number of workshops, exclusive of bakehouses, on the register at the
end of 1908 was 1,183, 140 having been added and 211 removed. The
numbers for previous years were 1,254 in 1907, 1,278 in 1900, 1,218 in 1905,
1,133 in 1904, 1,133 in 1903, and 1,081 in 1902. A classification of the workshops
registered is contained in the summary of proceedings under the Act,
which is appended. The decrease in the number of workshops was chiefly
in those used for cabinet making and the boot and shoe trades. The usual
inspection of the workshops in the Borough was made during the year. Some
3,991. visits of inspection were made in connection with workshops, and 223 to
factories.
Five communications were received from the Factory Inspector relating
to the establishment of 90 new workshops in the Borough. A large proportion
of these were for the purposes of the cabinet making and tailoring trades. On
inspection 77 were in a satisfactory sanitary state, 4 were unoccupied at the
time visited, and 1 was a factory. The remainder were more or less unsatisfactory
from a sanitary point of view, and required the attention of the
sanitary officers.
Some 33 written intimations were received from the Factory Inspector
referring to insanitary conditions and infringements of the law relating to
public health in connection with 48 workshops and work-places. The chief
insanitary conditions to which the Factory Inspector directed attention
were: -Dirty conditions of walls and ceilings in 18 instances, dirty and
dilapidated states of the workshops in 5, defective or insufficient water-closet
accommodation in 16, want of proper separate sanitary accommodation for
the sexes in 6, absence of water-closet accommodation in 2, and an accumulation
of manure which wjls a nuisance in 1 instance. These workshops were
all inspected by the officers of the Borough Council, and the necessary steps
were taken to remove the insanitary conditions to which attention had been
directed, as well as a number of others which came under the observation of