London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1908
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1908
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151
The new Laundry which the Council erected at the Disinfecting
Station, and which was completed and opened for use on
2nd April, 1907, was extensively utilised during 1908.
The following is a list of articles which, after previous disinfection, have been washed in the Laundry before being returned to the owners:—
| Blankets | 1,008 |
| Bolster cases | 374 |
| Bed covers | 454 |
| Pillow cases | 1,911 |
| Quilts | 518 |
| Sheets | 2,806 |
| Towels | 5,049 |
| Table cloths, etc. | 699 |
| Wearing apparel, etc. | 9,355 |
| Total | 22,174 |
The total weight of articles removed for disinfection during
the year 1907 was 172 tons 15 cwt. 3 qrs. 10 lb.
In addition to the work set out in the above tables, the bedding
belonging to the Council was on 331 occasions lent out to
persons whose bedding had been removed for disinfection. As
soon as this has been effected it is returned, and the Council's
bedding is collected and brought back to the Disinfecting Station,
where, after being disinfected, it is returned to the storeroom at
the "clean" side of the building. This procedure has proved of
great utility, especially during periods of epidemic prevalence,
when the pressure on the staff at the Disinfecting Station is considerable,
and has entailed a minimum of inconvenience to the
owners of infected bedding which has been removed to the Station
for disinfection. The total weight of the bedding belonging to
the Council, which was dealt with in this way during 1908, and
which is not included in the tables, amounted to 7 tons 7 cwt.
3 qrs. 2 lb.
Verminous clothing belonging to persons who attended the
Personal Cleansing Station adjoining, weighing 6 tons 16 cwt.