CO129-531-13 Proposed reorganization of the medical and sanitary services 18-11-1930 - 7-7-1933 — Page 63

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I order that the work of the District Inspectors may not be interfered with by their having to attend Court to give evidence, the work of inspection for police court purposes has been assigned to two reliable and experienced men. These in- spectors also attend to any important complicated matters where experience and good judgment is required.

Housing Division—(1915). There were :—1 male inspectors and 4 female in-

spectors.

This Division is largely concerned with the endeavour to prevent and rectify slim conditions through poor lighting, poor ventilation, through structural defects and with dilapidation and overcrowding. It also inspects factories to enforce cor- rection of unsanitary conditions due to faulty structure. Through this Division the M.O.II. may close lodging houses and condemn dwelling houses. As far as factories are concerned this Division co-operates with the Provincial Division for Industrial Hygiene.

This Division has on its Staff a number of Lady Inspectors whose duty it is to stimulate better house-keeping and improved home inanagement. (Here there ap- pears to be overlapping with the P.H. Nurses).

During inspection any sanitary defects other than structure are noted and brought to the ken of the Sanitation Division

Plumbing and Drainage Division.—This Division inspects and passes opinion on all new plumbing and drainage and all repairs to old plumbing and drainage. Before any new construction or alteration can be made a permit must be obtained from the Health Department, and this cannot be issued until plans are submitted. After permits are issued the work is inspected. There were in 1915-three office employees and 14 inspectors.

Toronto has a Bureau of Municipal Research a citizen organisation which is supported by the voluntary subscription of its members and whose object is :-

"To ascertain, analyze and publish facts as to city government and to co- operate with other citizen agencies and when desired with civic departments in securing administration reforms".

This body in 1915 made a thorough administrative study of the Department of Public Health and published its findings. The report which occupied 52 pages of print each 7′′ × 10′′ gave a full expose of the works of the department.

In criticizing the organisation of 1915–riz. : 18 Divisions working indepen- dently but in co-operation it said "It gives an excellent idea of the co-operation possible in a Health Department and from the standpoint of co-operation furnishes a model".

"Any system of organisation which works well is, in so far as it does work well a good organisation. The present organisation largely on account of the esprit be corps of the staff does work well. Given the same desirable attitude of the em- ployees, an organisation which would group allied divisions as humans would make Co-ordination of activities and co-operation more readily effective and would by pro- viding fewer divisional heads make it easier for the M.O.H. to secure the largest results from the time spent in consultation and general supervision. They recom- mended a combination of units to form 8 division. The 18 were reduced to 12.