Lodging-House Committee : report of the Medical Officer of Health.

  • Liverpool (England). Medical Officer of Health.
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lodging-House Committee : report of the Medical Officer of Health. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    REPORT. The Medical Officer of Health, as a Member of the Deputation appointed to inspect the Common and Model Lodging-Houses, and Model Dwellings for the Working Classes of the Metropolis, begs to report, that—through the kindness of Sir Richard Mayne, the Chief Commissioner of Police, of Mr. Payne, the Secretary of the Labourers’ Friend Society, and of the Superintendents of the various Establishments—tbe Deputation obtained every assistance that was required in making their investigations. They found, that though the practice pursued in registering and inspecting Common Lodging-Houses was necessarily very similar to that existing in Liverpool, yet it differed in some not unimportant particulars :— 1 stly. In Liverpool the cubic dimensions of each room are made the basis of calculation in allotting lodgers; in London the measurement is simply of the superficial area. 2ndly. In Liverpool the cubic space for each lodger is fixed at or near to 300 feet; in London at 50 feet of superficies when the height of the room is below 7 feet, varying to 30 feet, according to the increased altitude of the ceiling. 3rdly. In Liverpool there is no interference as to the size of the beds, but large beds used by and capable of accommodating two persons are permitted; provided the number of inhabitants of the room is not thereby exceeded. In London, as a rule, single beds are required in all registered apartments. 4tidy. In London the number of houses which, having been at any time registered, are kept on the books, amounts to 3187 ; of which 1200 are at present actually used for the reception of lodgers, and are supervised by twenty officers, including District and Sergeant Inspec- tors, who have also to perform the duty of surveying and reporting