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60
The Council decided to accept this scheme subject to the payment
being 2 shillings per child for each time cleansed, and the
London County Council were accordingly informed, but at the end
of the year negotiations were still pending, and some modifications
with regard to the above scheme were then under consideration.
It will be noted on reference to previous Annual Reports that
there has been in each year a progressive increase in the numbers of
persons cleansed at the Personal Cleansing Station. The total for
1910 is the largest since the Station was opened and was 200 in
excess of that for 1909. I have again to draw the attention of the
Council to the difficulty of dealing with this increasing use of the
Station, owing to the limited and in other respects unsuitable
character of the accommodation.
The Midwives Act, 1902.
The Midwives Act in London is administered by the London
County Council as the Local Supervising Authority. The important
duty of disinfection, however, devolves upon the Borough
Councils, Rule V. of the rules framed by the Central Midwives Board,
states :—
"Whenever a midwife has been in attendance upon a patient
suffering from puerperal fever or from any other illness supposed
to be infectious, she must disinfect herself and all her instruments
and other appliances to the satisfaction of the Local Authority, and
must have her clothing thoroughly disinfected before going to
another labour. Unless otherwise directed by the Local Supervising
Authority, all washable clothing should be sent to be stoved (by the
Local Authority) and then exposed to the open air for several days."
In Battersea one of the tenements at the Reception Shelter is
used for this purpose. The midwife or monthly nurse who has been
in attendance on a patient suffering from puerperal fever or other
infectious illness is required to attend at the Shelter and is given a
disinfectant bath, her instruments, clothing, &c. being at the same
time disinfected at the Disinfecting Station adjoining in one of the
Steam disinfectors.
Mortuary.
The total number of bodies received at the Mortuary in Sheepcote
Lane during 1910 was 234 as compared with 269 in 1909 and
258 in 1908, and an annual average for the Parish of Battersea for
the five years 1896-1900 of 288. On 222 of these bodies inquests
were held, and twelve bodies were received at the mortuary for
sanitary or other reasons.