London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Whitechapel 1864

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]

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9
result of my investigations is— that some of the rooms are overcrowded and badly ventilated—
that the mode of life of the workers is not calculated to sustain health, particularly in the
case of growing girls, the hours of labour being too long, viz.: from 10 to 12 hours daily,
ahd the employment being entirely sedentary—that as young men and young women in some
establishments work together in the same room for 12 hours daily, with an interval of one
hour only for dinner, and, in some instances, half an hour for tea, not only the health but
the morals of the young are likely to suffer from the long hours of working in a badly
ventilated room, and the familiarity likely to be engendered by the constant association of
the young people so employed. In one establishment, I found that it was customary for
the young women to bring with them their dinners. In this case there was no interval
allowed for change of air. During the busy period, the hours of labour exceed twelve hours
daily; At present no provision exists for placing such work-rooms under periodical
inspection.
I am, Gentlemen, your obedient Servant,
15,Grear Alie Street. JOHN LIDDLE.