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

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Whitechapel 1867

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]

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13
your Board several houses in different parts of the district which, in my
opinion, from the sanitary defects in them, ought to have been placed upon the
register, so that a more speedy method of compelling the respective owners
to remedy such defects might be adopted The Board having reserved to
itself the power of determining as to the propriety of causing any house to be
placed upon the register, this enactment, which was framed, not only for the
improvement of the moral and physical condition of the poor, but for the
benefit of the whole community, has been carried into effect in only one
instance I do however, most1 sincerely hope that all those houses in which
there is not sufficient privy accommodation for the inmates, where the water
supply is deficient, and where the rooms are overcrowded or indecently
occupied, will be placed upon the register
My duty, as your Medical Officer of Health, regarding the regulation of
lodging houses is clear, viz , to bring under your notice at every meeting of
the Committee of "Works, a list of all houses let out in tenements, in which
the owners have suffered sanitary defects to remain unattended to The
placing of these houses upon the register will compel a more speedy removal
of all nuisances therefrom, and thereby prevent any extraneous interference
either on the part of the Secretary of State or of the police, with the management
of this district
The "Workshop Regulation Act, 30 & 31 V , C cxlvi
In conclusion, I wish to bring under the notice of the Board, certain
very important provisions in the above recited Act This Act which will
come into operation on the 1st of January next, provides for regulating the
hours of labour for children, young persons and women employed in workshops,
and for other purposes relating thereto
The Act applies to the whole of the United Kingdon, and gives power
to officers appointed by local authority, to enter workshops to see whether
the provisions of this Act, or of the Sanitary Act, 1866, are contravened It
is provided amongst other things that children employed in workshops shall
attend school for at least ten hours every week, and the parent of every child
employed in a workshop shall cause that child to attend school; and every
parent who wilfully fails to act in conformity with this section, (15) shall be
liable to a penalty of not more than twenty shillings for each offence The
provisions of this Act render it compulsory upon parents to cause their
children employed in workshops to be educated Its provisions are also
framed to preserve the health of all persons employed in any workshop
where grinding, glazing, or polishing on a wheel, or any other process is
carried on, by which dust is generated and inhaled by workmen to an injurious
extent
I am, Gentlemen,
Tour obedient servant,
15, Great Alie Street JOHN LIDDLE