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27
The number of factories under observation for insanitary conditions during the
year was 65, and in connection with them some 65 sanitary notices were served.
The work carried out to comply with these notices included the cleansing and repairing
of water-closets in 36 instances, the construction of 99 new water-closets, the
removal of obstructions from drains and water-closets in 9 instances, besides several
other matters. Limewashing of factories can only legally be dealt with by the
Factory Inspector, but defects in connection with the sanitary arrangements in
factories are matters within the province of the sanitary authority.
During the year 60 lists of out-workers were received from employers in the
Borough, 30 in the first and 30 in the second half-year. Those for the first halfyear
are due in February, for the second in August. These lists contained the names
of 897 out-workers, of whom 654 were not residents in Shoreditch. The addresses
of those non-resident were forwarded to the sanitary authorities of the districts to
which they belonged. Communications were received from various sanitary
authorities relating to some 1,601 out-workers, and of these 13 were residents in
other Boroughs, and their addresses were duly forwarded to the authorities concerned.
A table is given in the Appendix showing the numbers of addresses of out-workers
received from the sanitary authorities referred to during 1925.
The number of out-workers reported was 2,498 and of these some 1,831 were
residents in Shoreditch. These figures are again below the average for the past
five years, but they show an increase as compared with those for 1924.
As pointed out in previous reports, in numerous instances names and addresses
of out-workers are duplicated owing to lists being sent in twice a year, and in some
cases the same out-workers are employed by more than one firm, so that the numbers
given above must not be taken as representing the actual numbers of individual
out-workers. Tables are appended showing the distribution of out-workers as regards
trades in the Borough. Most of them are engaged in work connected with the making
of wearing apparel, artificial flowers, paper bags and boxes, and brushes.
Some 1,137 visits of inspection were made to places where home-work was being
carried on, and in connection with these 97 sanitary notices were served. The
cases of notifiable infectious disease occurring at out-workers' premises numbered 32
and included 11 of scarlet fever, 17 diphtheria and 4 pneumonia. The usual steps
were taken in connection with them by the officers of the sanitary authority.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The notified births numbered 2,287, and there were in addition some 44 still
births. Of the notifications, 1,639 were received from registered midwives practising
in the Borough. In addition, 183 births occurring in institutions outside Shoreditch
were notified on forms sent in weekly by the London County Council. Including