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In addition to the above, there were issued under the Food and Drugs Acts, nine summonses,
particulars of which are given on page 26.
DISINFECTION.
Bedding, clothing, etc., are disinfected at the Council's Disinfecting Station at Wood Lane by
exposure to superheated steam under a pressure varying between 15 and 20 lbs. above atmospheric
pressure for fifteen minutes. Soiled linen is disinfected by boiling under a pressure of 10 lbs. above
atmospheric pressure for ten minutes in a rotary washing machine. A formalin cupboard is used
for the disinfection by formalin of leather, furs and other articles which cannot be exposed to high
temperatures. Public Library books removed from houses after infectious disease are destroyed
by burning, the cost of books dealt with in this manner in 1920 being approximately £26.
Rooms vacated by persons suffering from infectious disease are disinfected by gaseous
formaldehyde, which is generated by the volatilisation of paraform tablets, 20 tablets being used
for each 1,000 cubic feet of room space. Verminous rooms are disinfected by the burning of 1 lb.
of sulphur for each 1,000 cubic feet.

The total weight of the bedding, clothing, &c., disinfected was 44 tons, 11 cwts. 1 qr. and
26 lbs. The number of articles disinfected only was 14,666 and the number disinfected and
washed 1,459. In addition, the laundry work for the Cleansing Station was performed at the
Disinfecting Station; the number of articles washed were:—Towels 7,580, sheets 369 and dressing
gowns and blankets 275.
VERMINOUS ROOMS CLEANSED BY LANDLORDS.
Three hundred and ninety-three verminous rooms were cleansed during the year in response
to notices served under the powers conferred by the London County Council (General Powers)
Act, 1904.
DUST REMOVAL.
House refuse is collected once a week and is either disposed of by cremation in the Council's
destructor at Wood Lane or removed by barge from the wharf in Kensal Road. The period of
seven days is the maximum period during which the Council are permitted by the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, to allow refuse to accumulate on premises within their district. Trade
refuse is removed by the Council on payment of a fee in accordance with the provisions of
Section 33 of the same Act. Fish offal and other offensive trade products, which could be
removed on application as trade refuse, are for the most part removed and sold by the persons
to whom this class of refuse belongs. In compliance with notices served by the Sanitary
Inspectors, 335 new movable ash-bins of galvanised iron have been provided during the year,
and 17 fixed ash-pits of brick have been abolished under the powers conferred by Section 23 of
the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904.
DRAINAGE WORK.
All drainage work in connection with new buildings is carried out under the supervision
of the Borough Engineer, who also supervises the construction of drains on existing premises
where the work is undertaken by the owner on his own initiative. The reconstruction of drains
found to be defective by the Sanitary Inspectors, is carried out under their supervision, plans of
any proposed alteration being submitted in the first instance to the Borough Engineer and then
handed on to the Public Health Department. During the year 54 house drains have been reconstructed
under notices served by the Sanitary Inspectors.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCES.
The Council provide six public lavatories containing water-closets; two are for men only,
and in four accommodation is provided for both sexes. In addition there are 12 urinals for men
under the charge of the Council. In the women's la.vatories there is free accommodation for
those who are unable to pay. There are also conveniences for women at eleven railway stations in
the Borough. The public-house urinals entered from the street and available to the public
number 75. The public conveniences in the Borough have been regularly inspected during the
year, those for women in stations and elsewhere having been kept under observation by the
"Women Sanitary Inspectors.