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Health, a Public Analyst, four Sanitary Inspectors, a Clerk, and a Messenger for the
office work, three Disinfecting Officers, a part time Mortuary Keeper and a Caretaker
for the shelter, which was provided in that year for use in connection with
infectious disease. About three years after the Act above-mentioned came into
operation, a communication was addressed to the Vestry by the London County
Council directing attention to the fact that from particulars given in a report of the
Medical Officer of Health for the County, it appeared that the number of sanitary
inspectors in Shoreditch in proportion to the population was much below the average
for the Metropolis, and requesting the Vestry to take into consideration the advisability
of increasing the staff of inspectors. I reported on the subject and ad\"ised
that at least two additional inspectors were necessary. Early in 1896 two additional
inspectors were appointed, thus raising the number to six, at which it has remained
up to the present. At the same time another clerk was appointed for the office work.
From 1896 to 1900 the sanitary staff may be stated to have been adequate
for the average needs of the district. There was, however, during this period a
gradual increase in the work the Department was called upon to perform, resulting
partly from within through experience of the necessities of the district, and
partly from without through the requirements of other bodies.
In 1900 there was a marked increase in the amount of inspection the sanitary
staff was called upon to carry out. This was due to the London Government Act,
1899, coming into operation. This Act transferred the registration of milk purveyors
and the enforcement of the regulations as to dairies and milkshops from
the London County Council tothe newly created Borough Councils, and meant that
these premises had to be periodically inspected. The additional work entailed may
be judged of by the fact that taking the three years ending 1910, on an average
295 milk purveyors premises were under regular inspection, and the number of
visits paid to them averaged 3,290 annually. Soon after the Act became operative
the Health Committee's attention was directed to the addition thus made to the
work required of the staff, and the advisability of appointing another sanitary
inspector was suggested, but the Committee were of opinion that no such
increase was necessary.
Two years later, in 1902, the Factory and Worshops Act, 1901, came into
operation. This made another marked addition to the work of the Department.
One of its results was to render a systematic inspection of workshops and out-workers
premises necessary, besides involving a large increase in the clerical work. The
following will serve to convey an idea as to the amount of the increase in the work
brought about by this Act; excluding outworkers premises the average number
of premises inspected under the Act during the three years ending 1910, was 1,660 ;
the visits paid to them averaged 4,697 and the sanitary notices served 443 annually.
It is to be noted that these premises are only visited once during the course of the
year if found to be in a satisfactory condition at the time when visited. In many