[Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Perth City.

  • Perth (Scotland). City Council.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Perth City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    58/84 page 56
    FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS. Many inspections were made during the year of the Factories and Workshops, including the Bakehouses, and some improvements effected. These related to five cases of want of cleanliness. Speaking generally, it must be said that the management of the Factories and Workshops is conducted in a manner whereby the interests of the workers in matters relating to their general health are well looked aftei-, and I feel sure that Perth will compare favourably with any city in the kingdom. There are three underground bakehouses in the Burgh; and in accordance with the Factory and Workshops Act of 1901 these were granted Certificates by the Local Authority, the requirements of the Act being fulfilled in all respects. As certifying Factory Surgeon, I examined for fitness for em- ployment in factory or workshop, a total of 185 young persons, or 102 less than the previous year. Of these 59 were males, and 126 were females. This shows as compared with the previous year an increase of males employed, viz. 1, but a considerable decrease in the number of females, viz., 103. The figures for 1923 « ere 45 males and 139 females. All must have attained the age of 14 before being allowed to work. This year I rejected 11 as unfit for work, being 10 less than in the previous year and all on account of uncleanliness. Extreme cases of head lousiness have been, in recent years, very much reduced, yet the number of people actually infected is large. Broadly speaking, the less educated people are, the more they tend to harbour head lice. Poverty, bad housing, bad sanitation, it can safely be said, render cleanliness a condition more difficult to obtain, yet they certainly are not a bar, and one comes across many cases of vermin infection where they do not exist. In each instance it was the condition of the hair which was at fault, and all the cases occurred among girls. These cases are sad, in respect that the cause is easily removable and implies a want of care and disregard for the most elementary laws of health. All such cases are subject to re-examination before being allowed to work. Some parents think the penalty of their children not being allowed to work too severe for the crime, but a little reflection shows how unfair it would be to the other employees. Moreover the cure is easy,
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3