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

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Paddington 1878

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington]

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To the
VESTRY OF PADDINGTON.
Dusting Department
Vestry Hall, Harrow Road,
20th June, 1878.
Gentlemen,
In furnishing a Report on the working of the
Dusting Department, perhaps it may not be considered
out of place to refer to the practice formerly adopted
by the Contractors in collecting the dust and ashes of
the Parish. It appears the dustmen were permitted to
choose their own districts, consequently only particular
portions of the Parish were attended to, sometimes
twice a week, and in cases where the men knew they
would obtain a gratuity, oftener. Other localities were
neglected for one or two months together, or until
such times as complaints were made, or the Contractors
urgently required the dust for manufacturing purposes,
then a number of carts would be sent into the work
and the bins cleared. It was deemed necessary to
divide the Parish into districts, and the districts into
parts, so as to admit of each cart passing through every