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Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1898. 21
The Order remains only partly enforced in this parish, and will continue so
unless some means be devised to lighten the more pressing duties of the Sanitary
Inspectors.
In my Annual Reports from 1893 to 1897, I stated my opinion that a special
inspector would be required to carry the Order out thoroughly in your district. This
view of the question I would again respectfully urge upon the attention of your
Vestry, especially considering the added duties imposed by the 1895 Act of Mr.
Asquith.
The Factory and Workshop Act, 1895.
The chief points may be briefly touched upon. First and foremost the Act
provides that a factory or workshop shall be deemed overcrowded if there be less than
250 feet of cubic space to each person during the hours of work, and of 400 cubic feet
during overtime.
It authorises a Magistrate, on complaint of an inspector, and being satisfied that
a factory or workshop is in a dangerous or injurious condition, to prohibit the place
from being used until such works as are necessary to remove the danger have been
executed. Adequate penalties are provided against the employment of persons in
work injurious to health, or for allowing wearing apparel to be made up, cleaned, or
repaired in places where there is scarlet fever or small-pox. It also directs that a
full notification and register of deaths from accident be kept by owners or occupiers,
and that the Factory Inspector attend the subsequent inquest, while the Home
Secretary is furnished with powers for additional investigation if he deem fit.
Numerous provisions have been made with a view to enforcing the duties of
employers in the observance of sanitation, of the fencing of machines, of the affixing
of notices, and of the general carrying out of their responsibilities under the Act.
It is worthy of special note, that in the case of tenement factories the owner is
made responsible in place of the occupier.
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1800.
In my last Annual Report I suggested that two ''unhealthy" areas should be
dealt with in Ward 1. These areas have since been included in a larger scheme set
forth in a Special Report presented to your Vestry on the 13th December (see page 32)
The whole cost of carrying out of any such scheme would devolve upon the London
County Council as Local Authority. In view of the overcrowded and insanitary
condition of the areas in question I would urge your Vestry to lay the matter forthwith
before the Council.
Representations, under Part II., made by the Medical Officer of Health
during the year, 1898.
TABLE XIII.
Premises.
Date of Official
Representation.
Result.
187 Waterloo road
October 4th
Magistrate's Closing Order.
189 Do.
„
Do.
191 Do.
„
Do.